Bella and her Mates
by Monsteruphigh
Summary: A series of short stories about Bella's mated life. (Her mates are either the women from the Cullen family, the Denali coven or Victoria.)
1. Chapter 1

**Her Last Week: Chapter 1**

**Summary: After four years of dating, Bella is finally ready to be turned into a vampire. **

**Bella/Rosalie **

It was the single most important source of energy for all life on earth. Power was a word that was an understatement when it came to describing the sun, and yet on most days, it struggled to pierce through the clouds that haunted the sate of Washington. Today was not one of those days; today, the sun displayed its supremacy for all to see. Seattle was brighter than she'd ever seen it. Today, Rosalie was grateful for the UV filtering glass Esme had installed in her office. She could sit and enjoy the rays without the technic color display her skin couldn't help but show when the sun was out. It was one aspect about vampirism that she still hated; the others had faded over the last few years. In fact, she would go as far as saying she was happy. No, she wasn't just happy, she could finally see the joy immortality had to offer.

"Hey, Bella," Rosalie growled in annoyance at the voice constantly harassing her mate. She bolted out her office and made to the shop in no time. The courier in question was currently busy staring at her mate's ass to notice Rosalie. She knocked a spanner over removing his attention from Bella's ass to her eyes and he promptly paled at the murderous look Rosalie was giving him. "Is that everything?" He was now in a hurry to get out of the shop.

"Yep," Bella answered none the wiser about her mate's murderous intentions. He bolted out of the shop with barely a muttered goodbye.

With a possessive growl, Rosalie matched over to the still bent over Bella. One hand gripped Bella's hip and another on her shoulder. "Next weekend, I will love nothing more than to find you in this position. You'd be hard-pressed to remember your name by the time I'm through fucking you." She threatened, not that either one considered it much of a threat.

"I'm told as a newborn, my only interest would be blood and sex. So my not remembering my name isn't much of a feat." Bella muttered in a bored tone.

She shrieked when she was promptly lifted up and seconds later deposited onto Rose's desk.

"Do you really want tomorrow to be the day you don't remember your name?" Her hand was already under Bella's shirt, tweaking her nipple.

"I'm sure... someone will remind me." She moaned. "Do your worst." She bravely challenged.

"Two hours later, Bella knew Rose had this planned all along. It didn't matter what occurred she was always going to end up getting fucked on the blonde's desk, chair, couch, and against the window. The toys she had pulled out an hour ago was proof of that. Bella was currently riding a strap on with Rose's help. Her hip undulated as she chased another orgasm. Rose had left her on edge for so long, Bella was close to losing her mind until the blonde had kindly taken her clit into her mouth and sucked hard. Bella would forever argue she saw God as she came. An hour later, she was still being fucked hard, she might be the one on top, but she wasn't in charge of shit, and Bella really could care less at the moment, she just wanted to come. "Please, please, please." She chanted, as Rose could so easily stop her movement until the need to come eased off.

"I'm not that cruel." Rose moaned, but in reality, she was. When it came to sex, she loved nothing more than torturing her poor mate. She knew the brunette loved every second of it. But today, she was feeling merciful, so she gripped Bella's hips and started slamming her on the strap on.

"Oh... God yes, yes... thank you... yes." Bella hissed as she came. Her head fell on the blonde's shoulder. Her heart was threatening to burst out of its cavity with how hard it beat.

"I'm going to miss that," Rose whispered. "I'm going to miss your flushed skin, your pumping heart. I sure as fuck I'm not going to miss you getting sick."

"I wasn't sick, I had the sniffles. You just went overboard with worry." Bella argued.

"Sure, that is why Carlisle came down to look you over and prescribe you meds." Rosalie scoffed gently lifting Bella off her. The girl in question winced as she moved. She was sore, and but boy, did she enjoy it. "I will quickly lock up, and we can get you home." She murmured as Bella started to drift off.

* * *

When her eyes finally opened after considerable effort, she was at home in bed. She stretched and yawned out loud. She was cutting it close and reluctantly got out of bed and headed for the shower. Half an hour later, she had just walked out of the bathroom to Rose leaning against the door. "Cutting it a little close, Bella."

"So that's my name." She quipped much to the blonde's amusement.

"Yes, it's Isabella Marie Swan, but you prefer Bella, and you are going to be late for your graduation if you don't hurry up." Rosalie retorted

"I will be done in fifteen, I promise."

"Yes, you will because you have help." Alice chirped as she breezed in. Rosalie simply rolled her eyes and left them to it.

"Where is the soon to be college graduate?" Esme asked.

"She will be down soon, at least soon by Alice's standards," Rosalie grumbled.

Both the Denali and Cullen family where attending Bella's graduation. She was graduating from the University of Washington with a BA in English, and a minor in business. Taking a business course had never occurred to Bella until she started working at Rose's shop. Rose had never had help in the shop and never needed one, but Bella wanting to spend more time with her mate started doing the paperwork while Rose tinkered with one classic car after another. It was a business she'd had for eight years after the Cullen's plan to move to Forks fell through due to Alice's vision. Their presence would have destroyed too many lives in La Push.

It was on the drive back to Seattle when Rose saw the shop for sale. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to check out the crumbling establishment. Within hours Rosalie owned it and had commissioned Esme to refurbish the place. Now, she was the foremost authority on classic cars in the Pacific Northwest. Of course, being a vampire, and able to work twenty-four hours a day at speeds unimaginable to humans helped a great deal. She was a one-woman show, but no one was any the wiser. Her ability to appear from anywhere from eighteen to fifty allowed her to stay in one place for long periods. She could also use that ability on other vampires, but she rarely did. Her families weren't very keen on staying in one place for too long, but she loved the idea of her and Bella settling down in one place for a couple of decades before starting all over again elsewhere. They had another three decades in Seattle before they had to move on. Next Sunday, Bella would wake up a vampire, and another chapter of their life would begin, and she was looking forward to it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Her Last Week: Chapter 2**

**Summary: After four years of dating, Bella is finally ready to be turned into a vampire.**

**Bella/Rosalie**

"Hey, Bella, you coming out with us tonight?" Patrick asked, looking a little too eager. The graduation had been long and she was grateful it was over.

"Unfortunately, I can't. I've got a flight to catch in a couple of hours." Rosalie wrapped her arms around her just then. She didn't like Patrick; the boy had had his eye on Bella since the start of college and had made many desperate attempts to win Bella's affection despite knowing she had a girlfriend.

"Well, I guess this is it then, keep in touch." He muttered before walking away.

"He is one persistent little shit," Rose grumbled in Bella's ear. "Not that I blame him." She added planting an open mouth kiss on Bella's neck.

"Congratulations, Bella." Alice chirped as she joined them.

"Thanks, Alice." She smiled as the rest of the family joined them. "I believe we can leave now." In truth, she was in a hurry to get going. A quick stop at the penthouse she's lived in for the last four years with Rose and then on to Denali. The Denali compound was very much isolated and the perfect place for her change.

The vampires around her were very animated on the drive home. "Are you okay," Rose asked as they walked into the privacy of their bedroom.

"Yeah, I find myself missing Charlie today more than ever." She admitted with a sad smile.

"That is understandable. Today, you reached a big milestone in your life. It stands to reason you'd want him here."

"Yeah." Bella sighed, laying her head on Rosalie's shoulder.

"And, you do have family here. We can always stop at the house, and you tell him there. I think it would be poignant."

"I like that idea. Let's do that," Bella whispered.

Rosalie grabbed their bags and headed downstairs. "Okay, we are ready to go, but first we need to make a stop, Bella has one hell of a surprise for one of you."

"Yes, I can feel your anticipation. It must be a hell of a surprise because you are practically vibrating with it." Rosalie just laughed but said nothing else. "Alice." She warned the minute she attempted to look.

"Oh, okay," Alice grumbled petulantly.

"Trust me, Alice, you will be happy you didn't look," Bella said, coming down the stairs with a backpack too big for her.

"I will take that." Jasper offered.

"Thank you," Bella said with a level of appreciation that outweighed the gesture by a few thousand miles taking him by surprise.

"You welcome, little lady." Jasper was the one member of the family she'd seen very little off, considering how often Alice invaded their privacy. She had yet to meet Victoria, Emmett's mate, as she was new to the vegetarian lifestyle and an auditorium full of students, faculty, and parents wasn't the best place for her at the moment. Bella was looking forward to meeting her and seeing Emmett.

As for Edward, she had never met him, and since she had been told he wasn't going to be at the Denali's, she didn't expect she ever would. Rose had never talked about Edward, the first time she heard of him was when Alice mentioned him. She had no idea Bella knew nothing of him. It was the day she learned of Rose's past, and her hatred of what she was. Bella found it hard to reconcile the woman she had fallen in love with, who was ready to change her, with the one who hated the very thing she wanted Bella to become. It was the first time the pair had found themselves at a real crossroads. Rose had later admitted that since meeting Bella, all that had changed. She even met up with Carlisle and apologized for decades of hostility towards him. Rose had finally accepted her past because without it, she wouldn't have Bella. Of course, there was still the issue of her inability to have children or even adopt, as the Volturi would never allow it. She knew Rose still struggled with that aspect of herself.

Isabella." Rose had clearly tried to get her attention while she stuck in her head.

"Sorry, thinking." She mumbled as she stepped into the elevator.

"It is a rather pointless trip if we leave you behind," Rose teased.

* * *

The drive to Forks, as usual took half the time, something she was now used to. She had put the house up for sale a week ago. While she and Rose had come up to clear it out, they found a few things that shocked the hell out of both of them.

Bella was beaming with excitement as she opened the door to her old home. The rest of the family followed finding the human's excitement rather infectious.

"Okay, Bella, I think I have been patient enough," Alice grumbled.

"Two hours, Alice, two hours, is nothing to a mortal more or less an immortal, relax." Bella got out a massive photo album and laid it on the dining room table with a bang. "Okay, I believe it is best to start with this," Bella muttered to herself as she took a small folder out and gave it to Jasper. "Open it." He did and gasped at the sight of himself with his family in a photo. It had been taken just before he went off to fight.

"I never saw it. I left right after." He whispered as he looks at the picture. "It was so expensive back then to get a picture taken, but my mother had insisted fearing she'd have nothing of me if I didn't come back. I guess she had the right idea." Alice was standing over his shoulder, staring at the picture in awe. It was in surprisingly good condition considering how old it was.

"How?' Jasper damn near stuttered.

"Your little sister is my seven times removed grandmother. You are my uncle. We found the album last week while we were clearing the house. It was in the attic."

"You are my kin." He said in disbelief. "From which side?"

"My dad," Bella said with a sad smile.

"You have no idea what this means to me," Jasper whispered with tear-filled eyes.

"I lost my dad just before I met Rose in a car accident. My mother didn't want to know and never returned my phone calls. It means as much to me as it does to you to know I have a family.

Irina offered to drive Alice's rented car back to Port Angeles so that Jasper and Bella could talk some more about their shared family tree. The two went through every picture with Jasper asking question after question, some of which Bella could not answer. She was quite knowledgeable about her great grandmother down to herself, but the rest, Bella herself had known nothing about.

"How clumsy were you?" Jasper asked in disbelief about some of Bella's accidents.

"She'd trip over air," Rose replied. "We'd be walking and she just suddenly go flying. I had to do something about it before I became the first vampire to have a heart attack." Unfortunately Rose wasn't joking.

"Rose forced me to take dance lessons and self-defense classes. I was rubbish at the dance lessons, but it helped a lot." Bella laughed.

"After your first year, I can teach you to fight." Jasper offered.

"I was going to ask, Rose said you taught her to fight."

"He thought as all to fight," Alice interjected. Of course, Bella knew of Jasper's history, it had been the first discussion on the private plane to Denali. Bella had asked to meet Peter and Charlotte then.

* * *

Bella collapsed on the bed with a satisfied sigh, it had been a long day and she was ready to kick her shoes off and put her feet up. "You should take a nap," Rose advised. Esme and Carmen insisted on throwing Bella a graduation party. Bella didn't see the point of it, it wasn't as though the vampires could eat and drink.

"Stay with me?"

"As if you need to ask." Rosalie pulled her up and helped her get out of her clothes.

"I love you, Rose." She whispered.

"Love you too." Bella snuggled closer to her and soon fell asleep. Rose shut her eyes and concentrated on Bella's heartbeat. The rhythmic beat of her mate's heart lulled her into such a deep state of relaxation; you'd think she was asleep.

It was what Esme thought when she came to get them a few hours later. "We will be down in a bit," Rose whispered.

"No, we won't," Bella grumbled snuggling further into her mate. Rose couldn't help her laugh as Esme watched them with a smile on her face.

"Baby, come on, it's your party." Rose attempted to move away from the brunette, but she threw her leg over the blonde.

"My party is right here." She mumbled her face buried in Rose neck. As much as Rose found this at times annoying, she would admit she was going to miss it when Bella changed. She turned her face in order to see Bella, who was now pouting.

"What will it take for you to get out of bed?" Rose could tell Bella was trying hard to keep her pout, but it was slowly turning into a smile. She knew this was what Bella was waiting for. Bella only refused to get out bed when there was something she desperately wanted.

"I don't want anything now, but I might need something later." Rose pulled the brunette on top of her and kissed her soundly. Bella's body relaxed on top of her mate's as the kiss became heated. Rose's hand went under her tank top and caressed warm skin.

"I don't want to hear it," Jasper shouted from downstairs making Bella blush, and Rose chuckled.

"You have no idea how much more incredible you smell when you blush." Rose moaned her hands still caressing Bella's skin. She licked the skin on Bella's neck, working her way down the clavicle. Abruptly she stopped and stood them up. "Come on, the least you can do is show your face."

* * *

The day of Bella's change, she spent her morning in the library while Rose was hunting.

"Thought I'd find you here," Rose said, interrupting her reading.

"I'm not going to finish this book before tonight," Bella mused out loud.

"I will read to you when you are a little more settled after the change," Rose promised.

"I'd love that." Bella murmured. "I can't wait." She whispered. "I see no reason to wait until tonight."

"Okay, come on then." Rose took her by the hand and led her out of the library. The vampires in the house had of course heard her. "Bella..." Alice started.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to get nervous. I know me well enough to know the nerves are only going to get the better of me as the day wears on. I don't want my last day as a human to be of me panicking. Yesterday was one of the best days of my life, and it's the last day I'd like to remember if I remember anything." She shrugged shyly. The events had been nothing spectacular, they had sat around and talked. Bella had made fun of Alice's taste in music which had both covens laughing uproariously. Emmett, unfortunately was stuck in New Zealand with Victoria, and wouldn't make it back for another couple of days.

"That is understandable, Bella," Carlisle said. "Eleazar and I will be here to make sure everything goes swimmingly."

"See you in three," Alice said with a hug.

As much as she tried, she couldn't keep the nerves at bay. "Would you like me to help you relax?" Bella nodded. "I don't think you were this nervous on our first date." She teased.

"Oh, I was, I just hid it well. It quickly went away when you stared at my ass as we walked to the car." Rose threw her head back in laughter.

"I did, I just didn't think you caught it." She admitted.

"Well, making a complete idiot of myself at Newton Outfitters, it was a little consolation to find you checking out my ass."

"You didn't make a fool of yourself, I had time to calm down before walking in there, you didn't. In my defense, I didn't think you feel the bond as much as you did. The consensus was humans didn't feel the pull as much as vampires did. Knowing you as much as I do now, I know you are the exception to a good number of things we thought we knew." She ran her fingers through Bella's hair.

"How about you asking me to show you around Forks and me just staring at you as though I was watching you on a TV screen." Rose chuckled at that. Without realizing it, Bella's mind was entirely off the change.

"I found it endearing. You could have drooled, and I would have still wanted you. Hell, you do drool, and I still love you." She teased then leaned in to kiss her mate. She deepened the kiss, her tongue exploring every inch of her mate's mouth. She pushed her leg between Bella's, applying a little pressure to her sex, earning a moan in return. She continued kissing down Bella's neck, then without warning, she bit down hard. Bella jerked, but Rose held her tight, pumping her full of venom. "I love you." She whispered as Bella's face contorted in excruciating pain before she seemed to pass out.


	3. Chapter 3

**21 Years Later**

**Summary: The Cullens visit the Denalis after 21 years to be met with the most unlikely of surprises. **

**Bella/Tanya**

"YES!" Eleazar chuckled at Tanya's exclamation. She couldn't be blamed as she had spent the better part of two hours on the phone trying to get through to the right person. "The things we'd do for our mates." He mumbled as the surveillance system alerted him to someone driving up to the house. The system monitored anyone coming up to the house from half a mile away. The Denali coven wasn't like the Cullens in socializing with humans. They kept to themselves, and that enabled them to live there for centuries without drawing attention to themselves. Of course, they often traveled, sometimes they were gone for decades at a time, but Denali was home.

"Oh, this is not good." He exclaimed when he realized who their guests were. They hadn't seen or spoken to the Cullens in 21 years, and in truth, they liked it that way. This was bound to happen eventually, and they all knew it, but they really hadn't prepared for it. Tanya was still on the phone, so Eleazar had to deal with this. He stood on the large porch and waited for their cousins. He doubted they'd still be calling themselves that in a few days.

"Is it me or does he not look happy to see us." Alice chirped happily, contradicting the negative statement.

"Don't know. I can't hear him," Edward whispered, his eyes boring into the Denali coven member.

"Can't feel a thing from him either," Jasper added.

"We will talk about it later," Carlisle whispered, as they were now too close to really talk about it.

Alice was the first out of the SUV, and practically skipped towards the large house. "Hello, Eleazar." She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and a hug. "This is new." She said of the porch.

"Yes, I suppose it will be to you since it wasn't here the last time you were." Alice grimaced at the thought of their last visit. That was the last time the family had been whole again, Esme, Rose, and Emmett had left them that day. They had also caused significant damage to the Denali's house in the process.

Eleazar turned his attention to the rest. "Carlisle, Jasper, Edward... I... come in." It was apparent he had decided against whatever he was about to say. "Tanya is on the phone, she should be done soon." She was the coven leader, this was her decision to make on whether the Cullens stayed or not."

"We had no desire to impose on you as we have, but our house in the Yukon Territory suffered extensive structural damage in our absence. The renovation will take a few weeks, and we hoped we could stay here while that was taking place."

"That is unfortunate," Eleazar replied, although he made no mention as to whether they could stay or not.

"What is this?" Alice focus had been pulled to a large canvas on the wall. "I can tell it's you, Carmen and the sisters, but who are the others?" Eleazar bristled at the tone.

"Those are members of our coven." And the reason they couldn't stay.

"You've doubled," Carlisle said in wonder.

"Yes, first Tanya found her mate. She came with her family, and there you have it." Alice continued to stare at about the painting; the familiarity of the other five bothered her. Two men stood together, something about the big guy reminded her of Emmett. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had the painting. Then the news about Tanya hit her the same time it seemed to hit Edward.

"Tanya is mated?" Edward's hurt tone was not missed by any. The boy had tried for decades to earn Tanya's affections, but she had never remotely seen him as a romantic partner. Tanya willingly waited for her mate instead of settling, something she was adamant about. Everyone knew Edward found his existence without a mate somewhat crippling, but Tanya had no sympathy for him in that regard. She had spent over a thousand years without a mate until she found hers. He could wait for his as far as she was concerned.

"She is, has been for 16 years." Eleazar truly smiled for the first time.

"I didn't see any of this." Alice murmured.

"No, you wouldn't have," Eleazar answered just as the surveillance alerted them to another car coming up to the house. Recognizing the vehicle, Eleazar switched the system off.

"I can't hear you or Tanya either," Edward added.

"Should you even be listening?" Tanya asked as she descended the stairs. Edward stared at the blonde beauty as she walked towards them. To him, she was almost gliding instead of walking. Everything about Tanya made him weak at the knees, except she barely saw him as nothing more than a boy stuck in the year he was created.

"Cullens... it has been a while. If you wish to stay, you cannot stay in the main house. We have guest quarters; you are welcome to stay there. As of next week, we have invited guests coming for a visit. You will share it with them."

"That is fine, thank you, Tanya. Congratulations on finding your mate." Carlisle said though he at that moment felt the loss of his mate more keenly than ever. The physical pain he had felt when Esme first left disappeared 15 years ago. They were sure she had somehow managed to get the bond broken, but his call to Aro assured him the Volturi were not responsible if indeed it was what she had done.

"Thank you, Carlisle, she has given us all a new lease of life."

"And you doubled your coven," Jasper added.

"The Volturi..."

"The Volturi are well aware of our numbers and have no issue with it," Tanya answered, cutting Alice off as laughter could be heard from outside. One was so obviously Kate, but the Cullens could not identify the other voice.

"There goes the peace and quiet," Tanya whispered with a radiant smile.

"Indeed." Eleazar concurred with a smile of his own.

The door crashed open and in walked Kate and... "Bella?" Alice blurted out in shock.


	4. Chapter 4

**21 Years Later: Chapter 2**

**Summary: The Cullens visit the Denalis after 21 years to be met with the most unlikely of surprises. **

**Bella/Tanya**

_Charles Swan pulled up to the mansion that was the Denali home. "Oh, Bella... no." He damn near cried when he saw the Denali coven members. He jumped out of the car seconds later. "You are going to change her... right? I mean, why else... I mean if you weren't she be in a hospital. She is here because..." Charlie rumbled on._

_It took the coven seconds to realize the man in front of them knew all about them. _

"_Yes, that is the plan," Tanya answered calmly with her hand on Charlie's arm. He let out a strangled sob and nodded in relief. He'd rather his daughter was a vampire than dead. _

"_What happened?" That was the question he should have asked, but in his panic, he just needed to assure himself of the reason why Bella was with the coven instead of in a hospital. _

"_We don't know," Tanya answered as they led him into the house. "We have been away and got back yesterday. I could smell blood and a lot of it. I ran into the forest and found your daughter. She was lying in a pool of her own blood, and thankfully mostly out of it. She was lucid enough to mumble something then passed out. She'd been out since then. It looks like she was bitten by a predator. She has sepsis, her organs will eventually fail, and her leg will not heal unless amputated. I'm afraid even if she survives, her quality of life... it will not be much of a life." Charlie could see that. She'd be in and out of the hospital for most of it. _

"_You are a doctor," Charlie stated._

"_Yes, we all are. Immortally is hella boring, and you have to find ways to occupy yourself." Kate answered, earning a grin from Charlie. Tanya opened one of the many doors on the corridor; he walked in to find Bella on a huge bed looking paler than usual. She had a drip on her, and her leg wound was dressed even though it was pointless._

"_Oh, Bella, if there is trouble to be found, you will find it." He murmured as he sat on the chair next to the bed. She looked comfortable, despite everything. "Thank you." He whispered as he took Bella's cold hands in his. _

"_We are hoping she will wake up and hopefully we can explain everything to her. It's her decision..." _

"_I know she is an adult, but you will change her if her condition worsens. I will deal with the fallout." Charlie said, cutting Tanya off. "If I have to steal your venom and do it myself, I will." He threatened much the coven's amusement. _

"_How do you know about us?" Irina asked the question that had been on all their minds. _

"_I am friends with the Quileute tribe in La Push. I've heard the stories about the cold ones all my life. Didn't think much of it until the Cullens moved to Forks."_

"_Of course, they lived there a few years ago. They are our cousins." Irina added. Charlie's face morphed into anger._

"_No offense but your cousins are a bunch of fucking assholes." He turned his attention back to Bella. "They took her in, gave her something I couldn't, and without a word abandoned her. Alice... god I loved her like my own daughter, and she left without a word. They just disappeared and left her thinking the worst. Bella thought the Cullens had been killed for revealing themselves to her considering everything Alice had said about your rulers. She did not for a second think they'd just leave without so much as a goodbye. Alice called Bella her best friend, the sister she never had, and then..." Charlie let out a shaky breath. _

"_She spent months thinking the worst, waiting for your rulers to come for her. One day she finally broke down and told me everything, as she couldn't live with the guilt anymore. She had no idea I knew what the Cullens were, so she was trying to keep me out of it. She wanted to go to Italy and beg for their lives, hoping they were still alive. I happened to know they were alive. I had heard the gossip from the diner. Carlisle had taken a job in New York, and the family had left. I in all that time thought she knew. I knew she'd be down from them leaving, but I never suspected it was so much worse than that." Finally, the fight they had witnessed five years ago in their living room finally made sense. Bella was the girl that had split the coven. What didn't they understand though was how Bella didn't know. Rosalie had admitted she and Emmett wrote to Bella saying goodbye. That revelation started a brawl in their den. "Bella and I are very similar in personality, very taciturn. We weren't the sit-down and talk type. Had we been maybe her pain could have been avoided." Charlie for years had wondered if they not sitting down and talking about what they knew hurt more than helped. _

"_So... which one of you is it? I know it's not Eleazar and Carmen. Which one of you imprinted on Bella, or whatever version vampires have."_

"_Imprinted?" Eleazar questioned._

"_You know, your one and only, your soul mate, the one you can't live without. The only reason I think of why you'd risked exposure, instead of dumping her at the nearest hospital is that she is destined to be with one of you ladies."_

_Tanya smiled at the police chief. "That would be me."_

"_Not that it made any difference which one of you it was. I just needed to check."_

"_That there was zero chance of us abandoning her," Kate said what Charlie wouldn't._

"_Yes." He admitted. "She's been hurt enough." He whispered. _

"_Those days are over," Tanya uttered with conviction. Calling Bella's father had been a risk, but one they had to take considering his line of work. Bella had been staying at a bed and breakfast for the last few days._

_People had seen her, and they couldn't risk bringing law enforcement to their doorstep. Especially, as Kate had asked about Bella around town to try and figure out if the girl was a local or not. They had decided the lesser risk was telling her father, and in the end, it had proved to be no risk at all._

* * *

"Bella." Alice moved towards her only to be thrown back by something none of them could see. Jasper was quick to catch her. He wasn't about to cause any more damage to the Denali's home. Last time, the Denali's kicked them out without so much as waiting for an explanation.

"How was the movie?" Tanya asked as her mate enveloped her in a hug. She was on the phone when she heard the Cullens, Tanya quickly texted Bella to inform her of the Cullens arrival. Bella, it seemed didn't care whether they stayed or left, but Tanya suspected she wanted them there. Bella wanted to show them just what they had walked out on.

"It was brilliant, we have to go and see it as I won't mind seeing it again."

"Sounds like a plan," Tanya whispered.

"By the way, Kate damaged your car again." Tanya turned her glare on her sister.

"It wasn't entirely my fault." Kate attempted to defend herself.

"Really, why don't you tell me what happened and I will make that determination," Tanya growled. The Cullens watched Bella, who watched her mate with obvious lust. Bella had simply ratted out Kate to see this side of Tanya. A side Edward also found very arousing.

A growl left Bella who took a menacing step toward the Cullen in question. "Isabella." That stopped her in her tracks.

"Edward, I would advise you to step outside, and next time control yourself," Tanya warned. Bella's eyes remained on him until he disappeared out of sight.

In all the excitement, no one had noticed Carmen coming up the driveway until she was on the doorstep. "Carmen, let me get that." Bella swiftly took the box from her.

"Thank you, but that in the kitchen." Bella froze.

"Kitchen?"

"Mija, he has to eat," Carmen argued.

"He can cook for himself." Bella retorted.

"We all know he can't. You cannot truly watch your father go angry while he's here. The nearest town is several miles away." The Denali's were very much off the grid. "And at his age, he has to watch his health diligently."

"Not when he rubs your cooking in my face every chance he gets. " Bella whined.

"I will talk to him. Now, put that away and get the rest of the stuff from the car." That was the end of the conversation, and Bella knew it.

Charlie..." Alice started.

"You will keep my dad's name out of your mouth if you know what is good for you." Bella threatened. The power that rolled of her had Jasper pulling his wife back protectively.

"Of course." He answered before Alice could stupidly utter another word. He didn't need to read her emotions to see the anger and hatred leveled at them.

"Charlie will be home tomorrow with Irina. I will advice you to stay well clear of him for a couple of days." Tanya warned.

"If you haven't noticed, you aren't exactly welcome here. I'd find a place to rent if I were you lot." Kate sneered. She, unlike the rest, made no effort to hide her anger.

* * *

The Cullens watched from the window of the guesthouse as Charlie and Irina arrived home. Charlie had retired early to spend what time he had left with his daughter. "He looks good for his age," Edward whispered.

"Yes, It wouldn't surprise me if he lives a very healthy lifestyle. We know how devastated Bella would be when he passes." They were simply delaying the inevitable, but Carlisle understood.

"How was the trip around the world? I knew in the beginning, but then the calls only came once a week, then once every couple of weeks, and then every few months and nothing in four months. If Irina wasn't keeping us up to date, who knows what I'd think." The Cullens heard Bella complain.

"I knew Irina was keeping you informed, so I saw no reason to disrupt your life any further," Charlie said with a wry smile.

"How considerate of you," Bella muttered sarcastically.

"Don't unpack the fishing gear, Eleazar and I are going fishing tomorrow," Charlie called out.

"Old man, you just spent over a year on a private yacht fishing in every body of water that can be found and you are going fishing tomorrow." Bella groused in disbelief.

"Your point?"

"You know what, forget I said anything." Bella threw her hands up in defeat.

"Their relationship is so different now." Alice mused out loud.

"I was thinking the same thing. They barely talked in the past, watching them hug back then was almost painful. Now, it's as though they can't show enough affection to each other." Edward added.

"I wonder how all this came about?" Jasper murmured as he walked away from the window.

Soon the rest of the Cullen's found something to occupy their minds. Alice though spent most the day and the night by the window watching for any sign of Bella. At around midnight when she saw Charlie would no longer be up, she left the guesthouse under the pretense of going to hunt. She walked around the property, taking in the extension that doubled the size of the house. There was also a large garage to the side and a new driveway leading around to the front yard. Alice didn't understand why there were so far from the main house when it was clear there was enough room for them. There was only four of them compared to their usual seven, and even then they stayed in the main house. She could hear Carmen and Tanya in the kitchen and decided to go in. She tried the backdoor that led directly to the kitchen to find it open. Tanya and Carmen barely acknowledged her as they carried on with their conversation. She stood at the door, feeling out of place when Kate sauntered in.

"Do you have any idea how much a new steering wheel cost when it comes to a Lamborghini? Then there is finding someone to replace it." Tanya sighed. "What happened this time?"

"As I said, it wasn't entirely my fault. These two girls pulled up next to us, and..."

"You broke my steering wheel over..." Tanya rubbed between her eyes as she could feel a headache coming on. Yes she was a vampire, and it took a great deal to cause her pain, but right now her head was beginning to hurt.

"Then you really aren't going to like the next thing I have to tell you." Tanya looked up, slowly resigned to whatever the news was. "Aida is coming for a visit."

"WHAT!" Tanya exclaimed.

"Yeah, she left me a message a couple of days ago."

"What is the point of a cell phone if you never answer it or worse check your messages. Call Aida back, tell her she cannot come, I don't care what reason you give her... just stop her." Tanya was fast becoming unraveled.

"I already tried her phone is switched off."

"Bella is going to kill her." Tanya moaned.

"No, she's not. She won't if you tell her not to." Kate interjected. In reality, she was looking forward to Aida's visit. Bella was one possessive and jealous mate. The subject of Tanya's past never failed to bring out Bella's beast, whom they had nicknamed Isabella. When it came to Bella and her beast, it was something no one had ever seen before, not even the Volturi.

Aida, was from Tanya's recent past, as in only two decades ago, Isabella would be out in full. "I have never known anyone to have as much control as you have over Bella's beast. Just threaten to withhold sex, and she will play ball." Kate chuckled.

"It is true," Carmen added with a giggle.

"Come on, Tan, the girl can barely sit next to you for five minutes without wanting to jump your bones. Let's be honest the idea of the lack of sex would do it, and you know it."

"Okay, last I checked I haven't done anything for anyone to be using sex as a threat," Bella said as she walked into the kitchen looking as though she'd gone a few rounds with Mother Nature.

Tanya glared at her sister before turning back to her mate. Later, she would rip Kate apart.


	5. Chapter 5

**21 Years Later: Chapter 3**

**Summary: The Cullens visit the Denalis after 21 years to be met with the most unlikely of surprises.**

**Bella/Tanya**

"_They are just human, beneath us... food if we were so inclined. Why do you care so much about this one? None of the others ever bothered you before." Alice sneered at Esme._

"_That is true, and I guess we are all at fault because none of the others got to us as much as she did. Yet we left without so much as a goodbye. Well, I couldn't do that." Esme said._

"_What is that supposed to mean?" Alice growled, taking a threatening step towards Esme. Carlisle did nothing to come to his wife's defense much to the disgust of the Denali coven members. _

"_We wrote her a letter saying goodbye," Rosalie answered without so much as a glance towards Alice. _

"_You weren't the one that brought her into the family. I did, she was mine, and if I chose to leave without a word, it was my prerogative. What right did you..." Her words ended abruptly as a great deal of pain shot through her. She looked up to find Emmett and Jasper locked in a fight that didn't last long as Kate soon had both men on the ground writhing in pain. Rosalie took that opportunity to go after Alice. The fight only ended when Esme of all people stopped Rosalie. _

"_You know what, fuck you," Emmett growled. "We are done. I am done having this argument." He turned his attention to Carlisle. "You, a coven leader, have allowed her to play games with these human girls for decades and I for one have had enough. As Esme said, we played a part in allowing it to continue. Well, no more, Bella was the last straw. Either it ends today, or we are leaving." Carlisle said nothing; he just stared at the wall refusing all eye contact. "Goodbye." Rosalie snarked as Emmett got their bags and walked out. _

"_My sincere apologies for the damage caused," Rosalie said before following Emmett out._

"_Carlisle." Esme tried getting his attention, but still, he refused eye contact. "I see." She muttered grabbing her bags. That got Carlisle's attention._

"_Esme, you can't." He choked out._

"_Unless this need Alice has to use unsuspecting human girls as playthings end, I can't in good conscience stay. As Emmett stated, Bella was the last straw. So make a decision." He couldn't, knowing full well any attempt to stop Alice meant he would lose the members of his coven that had gifts. They were formidable because of Jasper. They were not challenged because of Jasper. If Alice left, so would Jasper, and he suspected Edward. "Goodbye, Carlisle." Esme followed Emmett and Rosalie out the door._

* * *

"Rosalie said they wrote to her." Carlisle insisted.

"She never got it. Emmett gave the letter to a boy from her school, a Mike Newton. He apparently never gave it to her, though he held on to it." Eleazar answered.

"Yes, I can understand her anger towards us." Carlisle had no defense for leaving without so much as a fuck off, as Kate had so eloquently put it. Carlisle had sided with Alice because he was afraid she would leave his coven if he didn't. In the end, he lost his mate, and two of his children. He had never believed they would walk away from the protection been a part of the family provided. In 21 years he had heard or seen nothing of them. It was clear the Denali's had, as Eleazar knew more about the letter than he would have, had he not communicated with them.

With Bella out with Tanya, as apparently Tanya was trying to butter her up before an old flame came for a visit they felt free to ask questions about her and her abilities. Charlie was asleep, they were still avoiding him, even though he knew they were there.

"What are her gifts?" Carlisle asked.

"She's primarily a shield, a mental and physical shield, one that extends to anyone she wishes. We could be on the other side of the world, and her shield would still work.

"That is why none of our abilities work." Jasper surmised.

"It is," Eleazar answered with a nod to boot. "Everything else she can do it as a result of her ability to manipulate her shield." He knew his answer was vague, but he wanted them to see her gifts for themselves. Isabella was beyond impressive; her strength surpassed that of a newborn. It was a privilege to watch her fight. The power she exuded alone made every vampire they'd come across wary of her.

"Is she the reason the Volturi has no problems with your number," Alice asked her voice barely above a whisper. She had realized, most the Denali's ire was mostly towards her, especially Kate, who simply didn't acknowledge Alice's existence.

"Yes," Eleazar answered with a chuckle.

"Why, what happened," Edward asked, sensing there was a story there. Eleazar never got the chance to answer as the security system alerted them to Tanya's car coming up the road. Kate joined them in the den; she couldn't hide her eagerness for Aida's arrival no matter how hard she tried. "Katrina, we do not need you making things more difficult for your entertainment," Carmen warned.

"Bella is my sister, my best friend... I don't enjoy her losing her mind over Tan's past. I feel for her because Tan's got one hell of a past." The door slammed open to reveal a furious Tanya.

"Where is Bella?" Carmen asked, looking concerned.

"She took off to hunt, or so she says." Tanya collapsed on the couch next to Irina with a loud sigh. "How does a succubus end up with an extremely jealous and territorial mate?" No one answered as none had one.

* * *

"Where is she?" Kaye muttered under her breath. Bella had not come back from her hunt yet, and Aida's car had just pulled up. The coven as always, stepped out to greet their guest.

"She'll be here. It will be a miracle if she leaves Tan's side with Aida here." Irina added. Tanya turned and scowled at her sisters.

"Tanya." Aida greeted with a purr that had Kate barely able to stay in her skin.

"Aida, Kate only told me you were coming yesterday, had I known..." A loud boom in the distance interrupted Tanya.

"Finally," Kate whispered, getting Aida's attention. The noise had been loud enough to get the Cullens outside.

Something like a comet shot through the air then paused and started to descend towards them. Bella had no intention of slowing her speed, knowing she'd have to fix the mess she would make when she landed.

"She can fly?" Jasper asked even though he'd just witnessed it for himself.

"Yep." Kate was practically bouncing on the spot.

The mess was a crater. Tanya sighed in resignation; this was her mate, her irrationally jealous mate. Bella sauntered towards Tanya with a smirk at the sight of Aida's dropped jaw. Aida was a two-thousand-year-old vampire. In all her time she'd never known a vampire with the gift of flight.

"Aida, this is my mate, Bella. Bella, this is Aida, an old _friend._" Tanya couldn't help the emphasis she put on the word friend. Whether intentional or not, Aida got the message. Tanya was off-limits, and she would respect it. She'd be a fool not to after feeling the waves of power emanating from Bella.

"Bella, nice to meet you." She greeted then turned to Tanya. "I had no idea you were mated. Congratulations, I know you have always wanted this." Aida was disappointed, but what could she do. You didn't come between a mated pair unless you wished to be ripped apart and burned.

Aida moved away to greet the rest of the coven. Tanya stared at the crater Bella had formed with her display. "Is your territory sufficiently marked?" She asked with an eye roll. Bella had the decency to look embarrassed.

"It will be fixed in the morning," Bella muttered pulling Tanya close and promptly taking off without warning.

"We probably won't see them for another few days," Eleazar said with a chuckle.

"She can fly, really fly," Alice said in wonder. Jasper had moved to inspect the crater.

"And to think she'd be in your coven now if you hadn't so callously abandoned her." Kate sneered.

"You could convince her to forgive us and talk to us, but you encourage her to go on as though we don't exist." Alice groused. "Yeah, we made a mistake, but..." Kate took a menacing step towards her.

"Mistake, it's that what you call it. So are we to ignore the fact that we know Bella wasn't the first or the last. That you don't befriend teenage girls, give them the love and security only a family can provide then snatch it from under them. Are we to forget that you use the threat of the Volturi to keep them quiet? She thought you were dead, for months she lived feeling a level of guilt you cannot comprehend thinking the Volturi had come for you. It never once crossed her mind that you had simply abandoned her. " Charlie looked down at Alice with disgust that made her feel dirty. "I welcomed you into my home despite Billy's warnings. I treated you no differently than I treated Bella. I loved you, Alice... and you nearly destroyed her. What would it have hurt to have said goodbye, but then your game would not have been complete had you said goodbye."

"Charlie..."

"No, I am Mr. Swan to you. To think you have 80 years on me. Be happy she is ignoring your very existence. It's far better than the alternative." He muttered before walking away.

"Alternative?" Edward question.

"Yeah, her destroying you more than she already has." Carmen's answer made no sense to them.

* * *

Not far from the coven home and high up on a boulder Bella landed softly. "You could have saved yourself a lot of work if you landed just as softly back home."

"Are you going to let it go?"

"What am I going to do with you?" Tanya whispered softly as they sat down on the boulder. It had a large smooth surface and offered a great view of the town below.

"I could think of a few things." Bella purred as she pulled Tanya onto her lap.

"I'm sure you can... Bells, Aida was a long time ago... just please rein it in. She's got the message... okay."

"I can't help it, just the thought of..." A growl rumbled in her chest. "I will focus all that energy on the Cullens."

Tanya chuckled. "Yeah, that's a good place to focus all negative energy." She got comfortable on Bella's lap. "I'm really hoping one of them really pisses of Charlie to the extent that he shoots them."

"Yes a bullet going through one of them would be rather pleasing." Kate had designed a gun with diamond and venom tipped bullets that would go through anything. It went through Jake like a hot knife through butter.

Jacob had known about the Cullens leaving and left Bella thinking the Volturi had killed them. The betrayal had been too much for her, and she cut ties with him. For years he had no idea where she was until two years ago when he followed Charlie to the Denali compound, only to end up with a bullet in his shoulder. It was particularly satisfying, he stood there, arrogance personified, only for a look of utter shock to take over his features when the bullet damn near tore his arm off.

"Why did you destroy the Cullen's home in Canada?" Bella knew Tanya would figure it out eventually.

"I was hunting when I came upon Edward's scent, I was surprised I recognized it. It was a few weeks old, but I followed it until I found the house. I didn't go there to destroy anything, considering I would have left my scent. Then it started raining, and I just stood in the rain staring at this house... before I knew it, the house was lopsided." Bella sighed, waiting for the dressing down she knew was coming.

Tanya bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. "Lopsided? Carlisle made it sound as if it was minor damage that would take no time at all to fix."

"Maybe a lopsided building is minor damage in his mind." Bella retorted.

"What is done is done," Tanya muttered with a sigh. "But please, no more."

"I'm good, it's Kate you should be worried about." Bella chuckled.

"After knowing you and Charlie, we find it hard to believe the Cullens did what they did. If I don't keep a level head, I'd hate to think about how this would end up. Kate doesn't influence your beast, therefore can get away with the open hostility she shows them. Isabella will kill them without hesitation, and I for one, am not going to give her any ammunition to do so. She might not regret it, but you would when it's all said and done." Bella nodded, knowing Tanya was right.

"I've destroyed enough of their properties so..."

"You did what?" Tanya whispered. The low timbre of her voice sounded deadlier than any bellow or roar.

"I might have gotten a list of their properties from Emmett and left them all lopsided," Bella admitted. "I made sure to do so while it was raining. They will never know it was me." She added. "Had I known they'd show up here after their last performance, I would not have done that."

"And yet I don't believe you." Tanya stood then. "Come on, let's go home. I have a guest I didn't really get a chance to welcome because I was whisked away."

They weren't going home, Bella had plans and said plans were getting derailed by her own mouth. "Stay a little longer. We have a full house, and I just want the freedom to talk without other ears."

"Yes, you are right," Tanya answered although she was well aware of what her mate had in mind, and it had nothing to do with talking.


	6. Chapter 6

**21 Years Later: Final Chapter**

**Summary: The Cullens visit the Denalis after 21 years to be met with the most unlikely of surprises.**

**Bella/Tanya**

Tanya was over a millennia old and had more experience in her little toe than her mate had in her entire body. Yet, Bella could fuck her to the point of almost falling unconscious. She was currently cradled in Bella's arms as she flew them back to the house. The high altitude meant the air was colder, and it did wonders for her befuddled state of mind. She had become more alert as they got closer to their home.

"I do not like the look of that." She whispered. Bella looked down and agreed with Tanya. There was a semi headed to the house, it was a few miles out, but it was on the road that led to the Denali compound. Bella flew closer to the truck, and the couple laughed. Emmett Cullen was currently singing to Madonna's vogue with all the enthusiasm of a contestant on American idol. Bella was sure if they got closer they'd find him voguing to boot. She quickly got them back home but made no move to head inside. "Bella, as much as I love the way you smell, I think a shower might be in order." Bella took a sniff of herself and with a nod disappeared inside. Tanya followed at a more sedate pace. Bella was out of the shower by the time she got to their room. She smiled at the prospect of seeing the rest of the coven; the Cullens hadn't even crossed her mind.

By the time Bella made it back outside, Emmett was attempting to park the trailer. "Just leave it there and get out already." She groused as Emmett was determined to get the trailer appropriately parked.

"Hold your horses, little sis, I'm coming." He soon had the trailer park and jumped out just in time to catch Bella. "Hey, little sis, miss me."

"Hey bear, you have no idea. Where are Rose and Esme?"

"They had to stop to pick up a steering wheel for Tanya," Emmett said with Bella still wrapped around him. "We wanted to surprise you, so we asked them to keep it quiet." He added.

"They certainly did. I'm surprised Kate managed it." Bella teased.

"Hey, I can keep a secret." The vampire in question joined them. "Good to finally have you home. And just in time for our weekly training exercise."

"Do we have to?" Bella groaned.

"Yes, we do, I have to win at least one." Emmett moaned.

"That is never going to happen, let it go," Bella advised.

"If at first, you don't succeed," Emmett argued.

"And what is the definition of insanity?" Bella asked with a raised eyebrow. Before Emmett could reply, Rose pulled up in a jeep.

"Of course, you bought another jeep." Bella chuckled as she eagerly made her way to Rose and Esme.

Esme was off her feet before she could utter a word. "Hello, Bella."

"Hi, I'm so happy you are home."

"I can see that." Esme teased.

"You are not leaving me again," Bella whispered as she held onto Esme.

"We may leave on occasion, but we will always come home. And we will never leave without saying goodbye." Rose said at the site of the Cullens.

Carlisle more than the rest struggled to stay still. It was apparent he wanted to talk to Esme, but the woman in question paid no attention to him. Bella was now in Rose's arms. "You look good. You are more likely to get the smell of sex off you if you wash your hair." Rose quipped. If Bella could blush, she'd be doing so as the others chuckled.

"What's with the trailer?" She asked, changing the topic.

"Aro," Emmett answered.

"You can send it back," Bella muttered dismissively.

"We will do no such thing. We can finally finish all those cars we've put on hold." Rose retorted.

"It can't be all car parts?" Bella asked in disbelief.

"It is and more," Rose answered as they made their way to the house. Bella grabbed Esme's bags even though the woman could easily manage them.

"Charlie." Emmett boomed voice pronounced.

"Hey, big guy." Charlie chatted to them as Bella took Esme's bags to her room. She came back downstairs to find everyone on the various couches in the den. It was a beautiful sight.

"Bells, call Aro, it's been six years," Rose advised.

"Oh, I don't know... you should round it up to a decade. It's a nice even number." Charlie interjected.

"So is six." Rose returned. "You are only saying that because of all the stuff he sends you." Charlie shrugged, but they all knew it was true. Aro had tried using the Denali coven to take out a coven in the Congo when he heard the coven had a powerful shield in its ranks. Bella hadn't taken the deception well and ended her friendship with Aro. The Volturi leader has been desperately trying to win her back ever since.

"Come on, Bells, Sulpicia just gave him back his hand," Emmett added, struggling to keep a straight face.

"So the rumors are true," Aida whispered.

"Yeah, Aro lost his hand in a training exercise." Emmett could not contain his laughter at this point. "No one knows how it happened, but it did." He took a deep breath even though it wasn't necessary.

"I mean Aro is known to be friends with Carlisle, but he still had an issue with the size of his coven. He doesn't seem to have a problem with yours, on top a human knowing about us." Aida said in disbelief.

"That is because Bells here saved his and Caius's lives," Charlie added proudly. "And I've always known about Vampires. No one here broke any laws. Well, at least this coven didn't." He added with a glare aimed at the Cullens who had bravely joined them in the den.

"You saved his life," Aida said in surprise.

"Yep, and it was epic," Emmett answered. "First Aro couldn't read any of our thoughts thanks to Bella. At first, we only wanted him to know that Bella was a mental shield. Aro was so excited by Bella's range and strength of her shield as a newborn he failed to see three of his guard attack." Emmett was on his feet at this point. "Bella was the only one who seemed to see it. She threw a shield over Caius and Aro just as the guard threw some kind of incendiary device. It hit the shield and burst into flames engulfing the outside of the shield. The rest of us were lucky to already have shields, which did the same thing or else we'd be ash. The guards were afraid to move it because the three had more of those devices. So we stepped in and took them out because the device was useless on us." Emmett had everyone's attention even those that were in the throne room when it happened. "Of course, we had revealed the very thing we didn't want Aro to know. When the dust settled Aro made a move for Bella as expected. At the same time saying he owed her much, and she could ask for anything." Emmett moved to stand in front of the TV, shoulders back as he stood tall. Bella shook her head at the stance.

"Bella looked at him and gave this epic speech. 'My reason for saving you is entirely self-servicing. I saved you because of your position. I saved you because, without you, my new-found life would be one that could be disturbed very soon. I need you to be sat where you are so my life can continue. For the first time in my life, I belong. For the first time in my life, I am finally living. I am loved. I have a family. I never felt right as a human being, and now I know why. I was born to be a vampire. I finally have the life I was meant to live, and those three were about to jeopardize that, and I couldn't allow it. Woe betides anyone that tries to come between my family and me. I am theirs, and they are mine, and it will remain that way. I am happy where I am.' Bella finished with a smile that was so chilling even Aro flinched. It was epic," Emmett high fived Bella, who looked a little sheepish.

"Yeah well, you guys kept going on about how Aro would find an excuse to come after me to get me later. I had to make sure whatever ideas he had were squashed right there." Bella muttered with a shrug.

"It worked," Kate said. "And when he eventually found out about Charlie, he just brushed it off."

"That shocked the hell out of me," Bella said. "I mean, I had this elaborate plan to make sure nothing happened, and he just accepted it without fuss." She added.

"Speak of the devil." Eleazar waved his phone at Bella. She took the phone and answered it.

"Aro, dear one, what a pleasure," Bella said imitating Aro earning laughter from the Denali's and it appeared whoever was around Aro.

"Isabella, this is a surprise." Aro was too happy about her answering to care about her teasing.

"Isabella is vocally challenged, so you have to make do with me."

"Ah yes, I forgot you named your beast. Did you get my gifts?"

"I did, thank you. We have to come and visit soon." Bella muttered.

"That would be wonderful, Sulpicia would be very happy to hear the news."

"She's making your life hell uh."

"Dear, you have no idea." The rest of the coven got to talking among themselves as they knew the phone call would go on for some time.

Nearly two hours later Bella handed the phone to Charlie, who left the den to talk to Aro. "So Aro has finally earned your forgiveness." Tanya quipped.

"He would have a long time ago, but well with all the gifts he was sending, he made it hard to forgive him." Bella chuckled.

"Good thing too, we can finally finish all those cars," Rose interjected.

"You people are cruel." Eleazar teased. "Although I will admit, it's quite funny to watch Aro so discombobulated every time Bella gave him the cold shoulder." He added with a chuckle. Bella relaxed with her head on Tanya's shoulder as she read the latest news on her iPad. Bella kept her eye on the Cullens; they hadn't uttered a word since everyone converged in the den. Conversation and laughter flowed around them, and yet they looked miserable. Bella chuckled softly earning a raised eyebrow from Tanya. Bella threw a shield over them. "They look so miserable, a minuscule part of me actually feels sorry for them."

"Don't let Kate hear you say that." Tanya teased.

"Hey." They turned their attention to Kate.

"Yes," Tanya answered, never looking away from her mate.

"What are you two talking about?" Neither got the chance to answer as Carlisle finally found his courage.

"Esme."

"Yes." She answered, surprising him.

"Could we talk?"

"No, there is nothing you can say or do that will change anything. That moment passed over two decades ago."

"God, when did you turn into such a bitch?" Alice just about managed to finish her sentence before she found herself in Bella's grip. She was staring into the pitch-black eyes of Isabella. The growl that left Isabella was deafening. Jasper tried to come to his mate's aid only to hit a shield.

"Isabella." She turned her attention to the voice. Tanya stood up and sauntered over to her mate. "Let her go." She purred. Alice dropped to the floor, shocked by the sudden disappearance of the hand around her neck.

"Alice, it would be in your best interest not to speak ill of anyone in this coven. We have done nothing to you and owe you nothing. This is our home, and you will respect it, and it's occupants. If you don't like it feel free to leave." Tanya advised as Bella's beast buried its head in her neck.

Tanya turned to the beast and knew there was no talking her down. She wanted to take Alice's head off, and she had been stopped. "Come on, let's go for a run." Tanya took off, and with a growl, the beast followed.

* * *

"We can no longer stay here. I may not feel their emotions, but the hatred is obvious." Jasper mumbled. Bella's beast had every intention of killing Alice. Tanya had saved her, but he wasn't going to stay around for Alice to utter another sentence. Jasper blamed Carlisle and only him for the loss of his mate. Jasper had no respect for anyone who allowed others to bully their mate and worse stand by the bully. Even with all of Alice's faults, he would always come to her aid or die trying.

"I agree, unfortunately, we would have to rent a house or stay at a hotel. It would seem all of our homes have developed structural problems."

"Well, that proves my theory; the damage was deliberate." Edward intoned.

"Yes, it would appear so." Carlisle sighed. "Pack your things we are leaving now." The Cullens packed up and walked to the main house to find Bella covered in mad and hovering in a bubble.

"So the ski track is ready?" Irina appeared excited by the prospect.

"Yes, just in time for the winter. The cold should solidify the ground enough to allow us to use it this year. I am covering the compound in polythene plastic to collect snow."

"That is rather clever. That should give us more skiing time if we have snow." Rose added.

"Glad you think so because it will hinder our freedom to move."

"Don't' care as long as I can ski to my full potential without having to worry about humans," Kate interjected studying the 3D model on the TV screen. Edward had to admit the track would be incredible to ski if it matched the 3D model.

Carlisle cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "We are well aware of your presence. We are just ignoring you." Kate snarked.

"Kate," Tanya warned.

"We are leaving," Alice whispered.

"We can see that." Rose sneered. Watching the Cullen's misery has been nothing short of satisfying for her.

"Arrivederci," Emmett added, turning back to the 3D model on the screen.

They loaded their luggage in the car and were quickly pulling out of the Denali compound. Jasper could feel the regret and sadness as it permeated the car. Bella had always been different from the others, and now it truly showed. He could feel Alice and Carlisle's regret more than Edwards. Carlisle was still struggling without Esme despite the lack of pain. He suspected it had something to do with Bella's shield. Alice's regret was over the loss of Emmett, Rose, Esme, and Bella. For three days they drove, only stopping for petrol. Carlisle had rented a cabin in New York and for some reason felt the need to drive.

"I think it's time Alice and I traveled a little," Jasper said out of the blue.

"Can I come with you?" Edward asked. He had been somewhat subdued since learning of Tanya's mating to Bella. The two women he had ever found himself attracted to, were mated to each other. The irony was not lost on him.

"Alice and I would like to be on our own."

"Right, I understand," Carlisle said with little emotion. He had lost his mate over the three sat in the car with him. For years his resentment for them had grown, but he had managed to keep it from Jasper. He had no one to blame but himself; his cowardliness had cost him Esme. As he had always suspected Edward would rather them than his sire. He pulled into the middle of nowhere to get petrol. The stations were automated these days. Self-serving stations were everywhere, even in the privately-owned stations that had one pump and little security. It suited his needs perfectly. He looked around for a camera and with none in site he pulled out his lighter only to see cloaked figures approaching them. The Volturi. With a defeated sigh, he pocketed the lighter. Aro would finally get what he had always wanted. Carlisle knew Alice's crimes would catch up to them sooner or later. He suspected Charlie's conversation with Aro was the catalyst. The man hated them and this was the best way to punish them for what they did to his daughter.

* * *

Emmett was going to lose the race that much was obvious. He was going to have to cheat if he stood in a chance of winning. He got to Tanya and had every intention of budging her into the trees when Bella out of nowhere shoulder checked him into a boulder. "Fuck that hurt." He groaned as he got back up. His skis were broken.

"That's what you get for trying to cheat." Rose laughed uproariously as she skied past. Unfortunately for Emmett, there was no running on the ski track as the friction caused by the speed they generated melted the snow too quickly. This, unfortunately, was their last batch. When the track solidified, it was over.

Bella was the first to crack up laughing as Emmett with his broken ski trudged towards them. The dropped the broken skis in a huff and quickly moved to strap on a new set. Outside of ski boots, they were dressed in regular clothes. Being vampires meant they didn't feel the cold at all, and they enjoyed skiing without the restrictions skiing clothes caused them.

Another race and this time Emmett won fairly. He was also, unfortunately, the worst kind of winner.

"I could drop him if you like," Jane whispered to Rose as she glared at her husband, who was shaking his ass.

"Go on." Emmett let out a scream as he hit the floor again, breaking his skis.

"Oh, come on." He moaned. "That was my last pair."

"Can't remotely feel sorry for you, you lack any sportsmanship," Heidi muttered as she secured her skis. Some of the guards had come down hearing about the private ski track with the impossibly steep descend and sharp corners that even vampires struggled to beat. Every one of them had tumbled on the descend and veered off course on the corners.

"Everyone ready," Tanya asked.

"Yep." Bella piped up. They lined up for the next race. As they took off, Bella shouted. "You can use one of mine." Emmett quickly scrambled to get the skis on.

"You couldn't have told me that before the race started," Emmett grumbled, but Bella was long gone.

Bella never once imagined her life could get better without the Cullens, but as she tried valiantly to catch Tanya who had worn almost every race, she realized how wrong she had been. Her words to Aro rang truer than ever. She was finally living her fullest life with her mate and family.


	7. Chapter 7

**She'd Still Be Dead: Chapter 1**

**Summary: Bella is dying, but her mate might just be the cure she needs. **

**Bella/Esme**

"Thank you so much, Esme, you are a godsend." The director of the shelter praised.

"It's nothing Carol, I do have a lot of time on my hands and a desire to experiment." She whispered the last part with a cheeky grin.

"Well, your experiments will always be welcomed here." Thanks to Esme, the homeless shelter was able to feed so many more mouths. Her food also happened to be something you were more likely to find in a Michelin star restaurant. A couple of the homeless guys swore heaven and hell she was an angel, and her inhuman beauty did in some way help their case, but human nature being human nature, most ignored the obvious.

"I will see you on Thursday," Esme said with a wave as she walked to her car.

Half an hour into her trip home, she put her foot down further. She had caught a light in the distance desperately trying to keep up with her. She wasn't sure she had been caught in a police speed trap or if someone else was following her. She still had a two-hour drive ahead of her, but as it was she doing about a hundred over the speed limit, so it was more like an hour.

Thirty-plus million people were living in Canada, but only a million people or so occupied eighty percent of the land. Parts of Canada were vastly empty, and naturally, they chose that part of Canada. They were taking a break from their usual routine; this had allowed them to live in Canada a little longer than usual. She wasn't keen on the idea of living in isolation, as they had been doing the last few years. Not having a mate meant she felt the isolation so much more. Locking herself away wasn't going to help her find what she was looking for.

Before she knew it, she was pulling into the hidden driveway of their home. She had another couple of miles to get to the house, but this part of the drive was slow going. She had designed it that way to slow down anyone who somehow found their hideaway. In the eight years since leaving Forks, this had been their home and seemed it would be for some time.

It was just past midnight when she walked through the door. The only one in sight was Irina, she was leaving in an hour or so and that Esme was happy to say it thrilled her. She loved their cousins, but Irina's constant push for them to try for something more was grating on her nerves. She wasn't about to enter another relationship only for a mate to come along decades later.

"You are back earlier than usual," Irina said. Esme didn't miss the light in her eyes. Irina was hoping she had done so to see her.

"Yes, there weren't many tonight." Esme lied. She had put her foot down, but it had nothing to do with Irina.

"Oh." Irina muttered, "I understand your hesitation... after what happened with Carlisle..." Her voice trailed off. Carlisle had lied to Esme about been mates, but she was also in part to blame. She had long ago suspected it wasn't true but stayed with him despite knowing he had lied about something so honored in the vampire world. Carlisle had found his mate in Forks, and they had left the family for an extended honeymoon of sorts. It was his absence that had facilitated their extended stay in Canada.

Edward had been the angriest at Carlisle's betrayal, but she suspected it was more out of jealousy than anything else. Carlisle had her and yet also found a mate, while Edward couldn't even find someone whose presence he could tolerate. Edward shied away from both vampire and human interactions, and yet he expected a mate to be dropped onto his lap.

"I'm not giving up on you, but it appears you need more time."

"I know," Esme muttered. The rest of the conversation was about the mundane, and Esme was ready to be done with it. It appeared so was Irina as she bid her goodbye and left. Irina made no mention of her want of Esme, and for that, she was grateful.

Esme sighed and settled on the couch after she could no longer hear Irina's car.

"You need to be cruelly honest with her or else this will continue," Rosalie muttered as she sauntered into the room.

"I know... I just can't bring myself..." She stood abruptly just as everyone else entered the living room. A car was coming down their driveway.

"Alice?" Edward damn near yelled.

"I can't see anything." She whispered as Jasper wrapped his arms around her.

You know what to do until we are sure." Esme said as she moved to the door. They hadn't been this surprised since Forks, and even then no one visited their home in the four years they spent in Forks.

The lights of the truck finally appeared, allowing Esme to open the door. The car windows were rolled down, so Esme smelled the distinct human scent.

To her utter surprise, Charles Swan stepped out of the car. "Oh." Her vast vocabulary had abandoned her.

"Could you get one of your kids to help me," Esme could hear the other heartbeat in the car. It was weak, but not so much to panic, but enough to be concerned. Esme moved forward and opened the car door. Indeed concern was necessary; the girl in the car was clearly dying. Esme could smell the drugs in her blood; it was overpowering the girl's natural scent. On closer inspection, Esme realized she wasn't a girl, but a woman. Whatever ailed her had stripped her of all body fat and had left her looking gaunt and frail. Tears would run down her cheeks if it could. Bella opened her eyes, and Esme gasped.

"Hi." The greeting was barely above a whisper. Esme's gasp was not missed by anyone. By this point, the rest of the family had crowded the doorway. She carefully picked up the woman and carried her into the house. Charles Swan followed with barely any acknowledgment to the rest of the family.

"I'm calling Carlisle," Rosalie whispered.

"Unless he can remove the tumors that have wrapped itself around every inch of her, it's safe to say he will be of no use." Charlie finally stared at them closely. "You can still help me, you can change her.

"You will damn her soul?" Edward piped up.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Charlie asked with little to no emotion in his voice as though he expected this.

"We are soulless monsters." He barked.

"Despite your age, you know nothing." Charlie sneered. "How do you think I found you?" He didn't elaborate, moving to Bella's side. "Will you change her?" He asked Esme who hadn't taken her eyes of Bella.

"Yes, but she needs to ask." Esme finally tore her eyes away from her mate.

"Change me." Despite the weakness in her voice, the strength and surety in her ask weren't missed by them.

"I will, but I would prefer Carlisle to be here when we do this." Bella nodded her eyes also on Esme.

"What has our lack of souls got to do with you finding us?"

"Quil Ateara III is the medicine man of the Quileute tribe. When Jake revealed what you were and how you could help. Dad convinced him to help find you. There had been rumors he could track any soul as long as there was a link." Bella answered with barely a glance at Edward.

"He tracked your souls." Charlie finished. "Or I should say, he tracked Esme's soul." He added.

"I was right," Esme whispered. "You were following me." She looked up at Charlie.

"Yes, good thing I've got zero authority here because you should be thrown in jail for the speed at which you drive." He chuckled.

"But how did you find me. I mean, I lost you a good hundred miles or more away."

"Put a tracker under your car." He answered with an apologetic shrug.

"Esme's soul?" Edward question.

"Your existential crisis is the least of my problems." Charlie snarled, turning his attention back on Esme. "When will Carlisle be here, we don't have much time?"

"Dad, a few days, isn't going to make any difference." Bella rolled her eyes at her father's impatience.

"He's on his way," Rosalie answered.

"He will be here in the morning," Alice answered.

"Alice, could you prepare guest rooms for..."

"Bella should be in your room. I will get one ready for Charlie." To Bella and Charlie's eyes, she disappeared from sight. Esme picked Bella up and made her way up the stairs with Charlie closely behind.

"How does Esme have a soul, is it because of all the charity work?" Jasper rolled his eyes at Edward's question.

"No, we have been trying to tell you for decades. We still have our souls, or we wouldn't be here at all. Your soul is you; it is your entire make up. The medicine man found Esme's soul because it is linked to Bella. Bella is Esme's mate." He could still see the doubt in Edward's eyes. He had spent so long believing he was soulless, it would be nigh on impossible to convince him otherwise.

"At the end of it all... we are dead and so will she." Edward retorted with little bite. "I don't believe any of them see it that way. He'd still have her in his life even if it takes time to get there. As for Esme, it's safe to say she deserves this more than most." Jasper moved to the back door. "Edward, try not to let your need for what Esme now has get the better of you," Jasper warned.

"What!" Edward exclaimed.

"I can feel you. I can feel the jealousy... I do not have your gift, but I know precisely the thoughts coursing through your mind. Carlisle might not have been her mate, but they had a wonderful marriage until Forks. Less than a decade later, she finds another, while you are still waiting for a semblance of a loving relationship." He disappeared into the forest without waiting for Edward's weak protestations.

* * *

Bella, for the first time in a decade, felt alive. She was about to die in a sense, but she felt alive. She hadn't been entirely surprised by her pull to Esme considering their link was how they found the Cullens. What she was feeling in Esme's presence was nothing short of euphoria. All of a sudden her refusal to move to Forks ten years ago pained her. She might have avoided years of pain had she moved to Forks instead of going to Florida with Renee.

"I need to explain what is going..."

"No, you tell me all that when Carlisle gets here. Truthfully, I don't need to know anything... because it doesn't matter. I will be dead without you."

"You'd still be dead," Esme whispered.

"I doubt that very much." Bella chuckled. "What I feel from you is life. For the first time in years, I feel alive, and that is because of what is to come. More importantly, when I wake up, I will have you."

"You will," Esme answered as Bella drifted off to sleep. It had been a tiring day.


	8. Chapter 8

**She'd Still Be Dead: Chapter 2**

**Summary: Bella is dying, but her mate might just be the cure she needs.**

**Bella/Esme**

"Come in," Esme answered to the light knock on her door.

"He's here," Charlie whispered. He stood in the doorway, watching Bella sleep. "I think this is the first time I've seen her sleep this well. She's usually in too much pain to even do that. I will bring him up to speed. Let her sleep." He shut the door behind him and went to speak to Carlisle.

Esme looked down at the sleeping woman on her lap and smiled despite everything. Bella's hair was limp due to chemo, she was frail, and could barely hold herself up. She was in constant pain and was about to endure more pain and a year of uncertainty before she found herself again. Esme hoped she was at least in part enough to be worth what was to come.

"You can't be okay with this?" Edward muttered to Rosalie as he listened to Charlie explain everything to Carlisle.

"The difference between her and us is that she has made this choice. So far, their views on us came from the Quileute's, and yet she has still decided to become a vampire. Can't imagine how horrendous it is for her now to choose this life. She is in so much pain; Jasper can barely be around the house. She has made her choice, and under the circumstances, I agree with her choice." Rose joined Carlisle and Charlie, leaving Edward staring after her.

The backdoor opened, and Angela Webber and Alice walked in laughing. "Angela?" Charlie whispered in surprise.

"Hello, Chief." She said with a fond smile.

"Wow... didn't think I could be surprised anymore," Charlie muttered.

"You will find that it is not possible. I am surprised constantly, especially in this new life."

"Despite what your dad said, he misses you. I know you might not think it, but as a father who for years believed he was going to lose his daughter, I know he misses you."

"Charlie, you have an out. No one broke the law if the Volturi ever found out. I would have been forced to cut ties with them... it hurts, but in the long run, it is best this way." She whispered. Carlisle moved over to comfort her.

"She is awake, we should go up," Carlisle interjected, changing the topic.

Bella reluctantly opened eyelids that did not want to open. This was the first time in years she'd had a good night's sleep. She was still in pain, but as she lay on Esme's lap, it wasn't at the forefront of her mind. "Good afternoon, Bella."

"Afternoon!" Bella exclaimed in disbelief. "I thought I'd maybe had a couple of hours sleep..." Her voice trailed off in shock. "Wow." She chuckled softly to herself.

"I'm thrilled you were able to sleep. If you truly want this... then enjoy sleeping while you still can." Esme sounded somewhat wistful.

"Wait a minute... you mean you been awake this entire time. You haven't moved, have you?" Bella tried to sit up but struggled until Esme came to her aid. "Thank you."

Esme was surprised her discomfort was what Bella took out of what she said. "As vampires, we sometimes have to remember to move often. Humans are fidgety, and we often have to remember to fidget." Esme frowned all of a sudden.

"What?"

"Carlisle is coming up with your father." Bella still didn't understand why Esme was angry with that. Esme had heard the conversation going on downstairs, she was pissed Carlisle had used Bella to change a topic he was uncomfortable with. This was a chance to get to know her mate, and he had put an end to it.

A knock on the door had Bella prying her eyes away from Esme, although unwillingly. "Come in," Esme answered with a sigh. Charlie peeked his head in before opening the door further.

"Bells, you look rested."

"I feel it." she smiled at her father. For the first time, she could see just how tired Charlie looked; he also seemed somewhat hopeful. She turned her attention to Carlisle. "You must be Dr. Cullen."

"Yes, call me Carlisle."

Bella nodded." Okay then... when do we do this?" Bella asked.

"Whenever you are ready," Esme interjected.

"Bella, I would like to conduct a few tests." Carlisle's question had Esme biting her tongue.

"What for?" Charlie's tone was far from friendly.

"He just can't help himself." Alice groaned. If Carlisle could blush, he would be. Esme bit her cheek to stop from laughing.

"Never mind." He muttered. "The change is rather simple. Esme will bite you, injecting her venom into you. It is really that straight forward, but things do go wrong, and that is why I'm here."

Okay." Bella took a deep breath and sighed at Esme. "Any chance I could get a cheeseburger and coke, I'm starving." Charlie laughed, happy she had an appetite.

"Sure Bells, I'll get it for you."

"If you could get the ingredients, that would be better. I will make it for you." Esme ran her thumb over Bella's knuckles.

* * *

"What's the deal with you and the doc?" Bella asked nonchalantly. The last few days with the Cullens, she had noticed the tension between Esme and the doc. Even if she hadn't noticed that Edward's extreme animosity towards his father, made it obvious there was a problem.

"We were married for decades, then he met his mate." Bella's head shot up.

"Why would you marry him when you knew that was a possibility?" Esme's look answered her question. "You believed you were his mate."

"Yes, in truth over the years, I started to suspect he may have lied to me. I lived with two mated couples, and I began to see the differences. They were subtly, but they were there. Then we moved back to Forks, for three years, things continued as they had always been, and then Angela's brother broke his leg, and it all changed. He came home and confessed what I had always suspected. What hurt was the fact that he only did it because he had found his mate, not because it was the right thing to do. I can't lay the blame entirely on his shoulders because I had long suspected we were not mated."

"To think you would have also found your mate then had I moved to Forks like Renee had hoped."

"You are here, and that is all that matters." Bella leaned her head against Esme.

"How worried do I have to be about Alice and her obsession with me and my hair?" Bella asked.

Esme laughed. "Very."

"Now, I wish I was bald again." Bella jested, but in reality, she was glad her hair had grown as apparently the changed would not have given it back to her. As much the venom perfects the human body, it doesn't grow hair, unfortunately. What it would do is strengthened her limp hair. She had stopped chemo years ago and had been waiting for death when Jacob had finally caved at the sight of her constant pain and told them about vampires and the Cullens. Now a big part of her wanted to believe she had lasted far longer than the six months prognosis because she was waiting for this. "I believe tonight is a perfect night to become a vampire," Bella muttered.

"Are you sure?" Esme asked.

"I have never been surer of anything." Esme ran her finger over Bella's jaw.

"Someday, I hope we get the chance to thank your friend, Jacob." She leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Bella's lips.

Esme carried Bella back to the house as the sun went down. "Hey, dad." If Charlie had his way, Bella would already be a vampire. He didn't understand the wait. Yes, Bella wanted to know Esme a little before the change. Why they couldn't do that after the change was beyond him. Yes, he'd had to leave before she woke up as his presence would be too difficult for her as a newborn. They had promised to come and visit him the minute she had control of her bloodlust. "So, I'm becoming a vampire in a few minutes."

"About time." He looked a little sheepish, as he hadn't meant to say that out loud. Bella chuckled as Esme put her down next to him. Before either of them could blink, they had been left alone. "I am going to miss you, but God... I am not going to miss seeing you waste away. That Edward boy, despite his age, he is a boy and he can't begin to fathom what it's like as a parent to see your only child is suffering and worse would be out of this world before you. It is such a joy to know that before you even enter their world, you will have someone beside you. I should add that if you end up sucking Renee dry, I would wholeheartedly forgive you." Bella's shoulders started shaking before she lost it. She knew Charlie hadn't forgiven Renee for her abandonment of them. Bella had collapsed during one of Phil's game and had been rushed to the hospital. Renee shipped her off to Forks and carried on with her life as if her only child wasn't battling stage two lung cancer. Bella got well, but a few years later, it came back, and worse had spread.

"As much as we'd love that, I don't' think I want any part of her in my new body. That's not to say I wouldn't haunt her for a few months." It was his turn to laugh. They were going to tell everyone except the Quileutes in the know that she had died. Yep, Bella was going to haunt Renee, call her petty, she didn't give a fuck.

"You will be over your bloodlust before you know it. Esme promised to call me and keep me up to date on your progress." She nodded as her tears teetered on the edge of her eyelashes.

"I know, but I'm still going to miss you." It had been just the two of them for so long. Charlie had wanted to stay to see the fundamental changes brought on by the venom, but Carlisle had talked him out of it. They hadn't explained in great detail, but he got the feeling the process was painful beyond anything Bella had gone through. The thought almost had him changing his mind; in the end, Bella had talked him down.

Bella watched Charlie's car disappear down the driveway. "I guess this is it, the last moments of my human fragility." Esme smiled as she carried Bella up the stairs.

"Yes, you will soon be carrying me up and downstairs." Esme teased.

"You bet I will," Bella whispered. Esme laid Bella on the bed and lay next to her.

"I will see you soon." Esme didn't wait for a response as she bit Bella. Carlisle stood in the doorway, but in truth, he was not needed. Esme pumped Bella with as much of her venom as she could and let her go. She lay next to Bella and waited, it would be a long three days, but in the end, it would be worth it.

* * *

Charlie groaned as he hauled himself out of bed. The knock came again. "I'M COMING." He bellowed in annoyance. He damn near fell face first as he made his way down the stairs. "Someone better be fucking dying, or else I'm going to put a bullet between someone's eyes. He yanked the door to the sight of his giggling daughter. "Bells?"

"Hey, dad, you are crankier than I am in the morning." She teased as Charlie pulled her into a firm hug.

"You look incredible." He pulled back and stared at her again. She looked healthy; if this is death, he will take that over her been sick any day of the week.

"We really should take this inside before someone sees us," Esme warned. It was four in the morning, but still, she'd rather they didn't take the risk. Charlie ushered them in and quickly shut the door behind them.

"Wow, Bells, I didn't expect you for a few more months."

"I know I wanted to surprise you. I didn't have much of a newborn phase, but I wanted to give myself time just in case."

"So, you handled the flight okay." Charlie sat down next to her. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

"We didn't fly, we run. It was a short run through British Columbia."

"I'm sorry, did you say you run all the way here," Charlie asked in disbelief.

"Yep," Bella said with a chuckle at the look on Charlie's face.

"And you didn't trip or anything." Esme cracked up laughing, much to Bella's embarrassment because she indeed had tripped. In her defense, she had been so engrossed in watching Esme's ass she missed a large tree root sticking out of the ground. "She tripped, didn't she?" Charlie shook his head. "You are still my little girl." He pulled her into a hug again. She was so far from fragile now, it made his heart soar. "Esme, how are you?" If her bright smile was anything to go by, life with Bella was good.

"I am well, Charlie... very well. You look well." He did. Bella's illness had taken a toll on him. Without that on his mind so much he had been able to finally live some semblance of a life.

"I have less on my mind." He admitted softly. "Are you two staying?" He asked as he spied their large backpacks.

"Yes, we decided to keep you company for a few days. We will stay well hidden," Bella answered with a smile, which got wider as she spotted the urn on the mantle place. "I heard you refused to hold a memorial service for me." Bella teased.

"You are not dead." He muttered stubbornly.

"What did Emmett put in this anyway?" She wondered out loud.

"Knowing him, I think it's best we don't know," Esme muttered as another loud knock came.

Bella smiled." It's Jacob and Seth." Charlie quickly went to get the door.

"Hey, Ja..." Was all Charlie managed.

"She's here, isn't she?" Jacob pushed past Charlie and bolted for the living room.

"Come right in," Charlie muttered with a chuckle. He walked in with Seth to find Jake in a hug with Bella, whose feet were dangling off the floor.

"Hey, Bells... for a dead woman, you look pretty great, although the stench does take away some of the appeal." He teased.

"You can talk. What did you do, roll around on the floor with a wet, stinking dog." She retorted.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. He turned his attention to Esme. He remembered her, but they never really crossed parts, as she never came to any of the meetings they had at the border. "It's Esme, right?"

"Yes, it is." She stood to shake his hand but was surprised to find herself pulled into a hug.

"Thank you for saving her."

"I should be thanking you. Without you going against everything you know to tell Charlie about us. Today would be a very different day." Jake nodded shyly in acceptance. "I hope you didn't get into too much trouble." Seth laughed at that.

"No trouble, none whatsoever," Jacob answered.

"How did you manage that? I doubt your elders were that accepting of what you did?" Esme found it add to believe there were no repercussions for the decision he made.

"When the pack that protects you all of a sudden disappear with their imprints and children, it gives you an excellent idea of who is really in charge."

"You didn't," Bella whispered.

"He did," Charlie answered. "Old man Quill filled me in. He was the only one who knew where they were. The elders woke up one morning to find them all gone. The panic that ensued was nothing short of comical."

"Where did you go?"

"We simply took a well-needed break." He said with a mischievous smile.

"And your dad?" Bella asked, knowing Billy and Charlie's friendship was currently nonexistent because Charlie had chosen to find the Cullens.

"Hasn't said a word, but you just have to look at him to know he's dying to say something, but too scared to do so. Enough about them." Jake rubbed his hands together. "Want to go for a run later. Seth and I are on Patrol from midnight."

"Yeah, sounds good." Bella laughed.

"Any chance of breakfast while we are here?" Jake took a chance asking.

"I can make you something." Esme stood eager to do a little cooking.

"Erm..." Charlie started.

"Let me guess. There is nothing in the fridge." Bella laughed at Charlie's sheepish look.

For several hours they all sat around catching up until Charlie had to go to bed, and the Wolves had to get back to La Push. Bella took their bags to her room and was surprised by the sight that greeted her. Gone was the hospital-like room, and in its place was a bedroom any woman would be proud of. She now had a queen-size bed, a mahogany chest at the foot of the bed, and a new desk and chair. Her old bookshelf was still there with all the knickknacks. The walls were still green but freshly painted. "He didn't want you to come back to the room you left behind." Esme wrapped her arms around Bella.

"Thank you... I wasn't sure how I would have felt if I had walked into what was literally a hospital room." Bella turned around and kissed Esme. "All this means so much more with you by my side. I love you." Bella whispered.

"I love you too." She managed that at least before her mate pulled her into the room and shut the door. Bella had a new bed to test after all.


	9. Chapter 9

**Bella and the Three Musketeers**

**Summary: For a girl who doesn't believe in monogamy finding herself mated to three vampires couldn't be more ideal.**

**Bella/Alice/Rosalie/Victoria**

"Where are you going?" Alice asked in a singsong voice, then again, her voice had always held that sing-song quality to it.

"Nowhere," Rose responded with a nonchalant shrug that Alice didn't buy.

"Wouldn't happen to be going to the Chief's to meet his little girl, would you?"

"I doubt she is little," Rose responded with an eye roll. "You don't build a state of the art garage for a little girl." Rose had spent the last two weeks eagerly and happily helping Charlie build a garage for his daughter. According to Charlie, Bella had decided to spend time with him before looking for a job.

"I will admit I am looking forward to meeting this daughter." Jasper murmured, looking up from the chess game he was playing with Carlisle.

"Here we go again." Irina groaned. "Darling, I am becoming very concerned with your obsession regarding the chief of police."

"Becoming? I'm already concerned." Emmett teased.

"I told you so will be uttered by me in no time," Jasper said as he made another move on the chessboard.

"Uh-huh, I'm out of here." Rose turned on her heel and disappeared out the door.

"I'm coming." Alice was quickly behind her."

"Me too." Victoria followed.

Rose growled as her car door opened before she'd started the engine. "Cannot believe I forgot to lock the damn doors." She murmured as her foot slammed on the gas pedal.

Charlie Swan's home was just as isolated as the Cullens. Unless you knew where you were going, you'd drive past the turnoff that led to his home. Rose didn't get much of a chance to put her foot down. A mile and a half from the Cullen's, she turned into a dirt road. The path was several miles long before Charlie's house came into view. She pulled up in the driveway to find the Charlie outside with a cup of coffee in his hand. The man was never without his coffee. They got out of the car to the sound of a grinder tearing through metal.

"Good afternoon, Charlie." She smiled at him.

"Hello, Rose." Charlie moved from the porch to greet them. "Alice, Victoria, how are you two?"

"Great, Charlie, looking forward to meeting your daughter." Alice chirped.

"I thought as much." He chuckled as he walked towards the garage.

With a grinder in hand, taking the bed off an old Chevy pickup was Bella Swan. She stopped at the sound of footsteps getting closer to the garage. She looked up just in time to see three vampires with her father. 'Please, God, let at least one of them be single.' Was the first thought that went through her mind at the sight of the golden-eyed vampires. Bella was used to the beauty of vampires; as a half-vampire, she held the same appeal they did. In fact, she attracted attention from vampires more often than she would like. She intrigued them, they could see she wasn't quite human, but could never place exactly what she was. She had yet to meet a vampire who didn't want to drain or turn her. Few had died at her hands thinking she could easily be taken. Except, Charlie sang the praises of the Cullens even though he would not tell them what he was, he still trusted them.

The red and raven-haired were what she was used to, but the blonde was something entirely different.

"Hey." She greeted with a smile. She was working very hard not to leer at any of them. She really couldn't help but stare, the ache she'd been feeling for the last few weeks just turned into a roar. She needed to get laid and soon. It had been too long, and with what was in front of her, she was being reminded in the worst way possible. She never met any female of any species she'd wanted as much as she wanted these three.

Of course, what she didn't know was that the three in front of her felt the same.

"Bella, this is Rose, Alice, and Victoria. Rose was the one who helped me with your workshop."

"Oh right, thank you so much... this was an incredibly wonderful surprise."

Rose stared at Charlie then Bella then back to Charlie, she wondered how she hadn't noticed the obvious all that time. "You are welcome, but in truth, it was something I enjoyed doing."

"Well, I need to get to work. I will see you girls later." He chuckled as he walked away. If his suspicion about the three was right, Bella was in trouble.

"A Chevy, uh." Rose teased.

"Yeah, Charlie got it for me. Thought it would present a challenge." Bella ran her hands over the rusted truck bed.

"It looks like it." Rose moved closer to inspect the work Bella had done so far. She had the truck down to the bare bones. Alice and Victoria inspected the artwork on the wall. It was drawings of what Bella intended the Chevy to look like.

"Did you draw these?" Victoria asked.

"Yes, drawing is my other love. I'm okay at painting, so far I haven't found anyone more competent than I am to teach me."

"Now, you have." Victoria purred as she stared at Bella. She nodded in response, that stare had rendered her speechless. It was as though she was a prey caught in a predator's trap. There was an animalistic grace to Victoria that made her very dangerous, but it was obvious she was looking to maul Bella in ways her body wholeheartedly approved.

As she looked around, she realized they all wanted her, Bella didn't know whether to cry or laugh. 'God, I am in trouble.'

"I could do with a break." The garage seemed stifling all of a sudden.

* * *

They found themselves in the kitchen. Of course, they declined all offers of drink and food. Alice had spent a great deal of time in the hallway, looking at her baby pictures. As much as Bella could murder a beer, she needed a clear head with Victoria, who had made it her mission to let Bella know how much she wanted to get her naked.

"Do you have a girlfriend or... boyfriend." The boyfriend was very much an afterthought.

"No, no girlfriend." She was very much a player in college, and since college, she had been busy getting on with other things and had much to entertain the ladies.

"So you are available... free to play the field."

"Vic, enough," Rose whispered.

"Stop acting like a bitch in heat," Alice added as Victoria glared at her.

"Unless Bella here complains, you two can shut it." Bella couldn't help the chuckle that left her. Victoria was practically on her lap at this point. "You must come to the house at some point, we have a hot tub." She ran a finger up and down the length of Bella's arm.

"Yeah, sure... sounds like fun." She whispered.

A couple of hours later, she was on her own in the kitchen with a beer in hand when Charlie walked in. "Still alive, I see." He teased.

"Just about." She sighed. "There is a hot tub with my name on it. I have been roped into shopping. How I'm still trying to figure out. Victoria, I'm pretty sure wants to do things to me I'm sure are illegal on every continent. Rose is as cool as a cucumber, but... I don't know she's a mystery that one." She looked up at her father. "And a big part of me believes I'm connected to the three of them. I have been feeling a little lost since they left." Charlie joined her at the table.

"If my parents are anything to go by, it sounds to me like you have just met your mates." Bella's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What! Three of them?"

"This is you we are talking about. You know the girl incapable of being in a relationship because monogamy is just unnatural. Well, I'm sure three should keep you occupied." Charlie quipped. "I need to hunt." He stood up. "Call your grandpa, he might have more insight." He was gone before Bella could respond.

* * *

So, what is she like?" Esme was the first to ask.

"I believe Jasper might be right," Rosalie answered.

"I'm sorry, what?" Emmett dropped his controller giving the three his undivided attention.

"It's funny how I never noticed. I mean, I spent weeks with the man building that garage for Bella..." She shook her head in disbelief. "Charles Swan is no older than twenty-five if that or at least looks no older. Bella is twenty-one, and she looks it, could pass from seventeen to twenty-five depending on how she dresses."

"Are they not truly father and daughter?" Edward asked.

"Oh, they are. Same eye and hair color even down to the color spectrum. Those two are biologically related. If the chief shaved the hair covering his face, you would be looking at a man nowhere near old enough to have a daughter her age."

"Whatever they are, they don't age after a certain point... that much is clear," Victoria added.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked.

"There are pictures of Charlie and Bella from when she was a baby. Pictures of her growing up over the last two decades, so I'd say she is really the age she says."

"Charlie is a different story. There is a picture of Charlie from the 1850s. I took the picture out of the frame when I was looking at them, and the inscription on the back said 'Daguerreotype by Southworth & Hawes 1852.'"

"Wasn't that the famous photography studio in Massachusetts?" Tanya whispered.

"Yep, in that picture, he looked then as he does now. Him with the mustache and beard hiding his youthful face."

"So, Jazz, you were right." Victoria teased.

"Yeah, except we still have no idea what they are?" He moved away from his chessboard and joined Irina on the couch. "Anything you three would like to add?" He asked with a smile. He had felt it the minute they walked through the door, that feeling of completion you felt when you finally found your mate.

"We believe she might be our mate... as in all three of us." The smiles that broke out on everyone's face had the three smiling as well.

In truth, everyone had been worried about the three finding mates, not because they had no one, but because they had each other. Their bond to each other rivaled that of a mating bond. What would happen to the dynamic of their relationship if one found a mate who didn't understand the relationship the three had? It never once crossed their mind that the solution was rather simple. The three would be mated to one person. It would be a lie if none said the idea of one finding a mate and distancing themselves from the other two hadn't worried them. Those three were too close to be separated from each other. No one wanted to see the devastating results of such a separation.

"It makes perfect sense that you three, you share a mate," Eleazar said, his smile still in place.

"It does." Alice murmured. "She was rather receptive to us." She added.

"And we wouldn't have known that without my flirting," Victoria said proudly.

"Is that what you call it. You were ready to rip her clothes off." Rose teased.

"Nothing wrong with that," Emmett interjected, earning an eye roll from Kate.

"He's your mate." Tanya laughed as her sister looked ready to strangle him.

"She didn't look like she'd mind that at all." Alice smiled at the idea.

"Dips on calling on her first," Victoria shouted.

"You can be such a child sometimes." Emmett groaned. Coming from him, that was saying a lot.

The three were eager to know more about their mate, and they would waste no time doing so.


	10. Chapter 10

**Bella and the Three Musketeers**

**Summary: For a girl who doesn't believe in monogamy, finding herself mated to three vampires couldn't be more ideal.**

**Bella/Alice/Rosalie/Victoria**

Bella tossed the duvet aside and got out of the bed with the grace of a gazelle. Her see-through tank top and lace panty left little to the imagination. "Is the house on fire?" She asked, barely above a whisper. Victoria simply shook her head, her focus more on Bella's pebbled nipples. "Is someone dying?"

"No." Was the answer from all three.

"Then, someone is dead?" She finished with a raised eyebrow.

"Alice talks about you so much that the rest of the family is dying to meet you." Victoria with a great deal of effort tore her eyes away from Bella's body to look her in the eyes.

"Just Alice?" The teasing lilt in Bella's voice was not missed by any of them.

"No, far from it," Alice answered.

Hmm." Bella responded. "Will I be fed?" She asked.

"Yes, Esme is cooking a veritable feast." Rosalie much to Bella's amusement had worked hard to keep her eyes on Bella's face.

"Make yourselves comfortable while I shower. It just might make me a little less cranky. " She muttered as she shut the bathroom door behind her.

Waking up to find three beautiful women who were her mates in her room didn't help her already sex-deprived disposition. Before the three turned up, she had booked a room at the Fairmont for next weekend. She had two VIP tickets to an exclusive club opening in Seattle. She had come to the owner's rescue when her car broke down a few weeks ago and that had been her reward for her good deed. It also helped that the woman clearly wanted to get naked for Bella. Now that was out of the question with her mates turning up and all. She had canceled the hotel booking last night and was now feeling the need for a good long fuck more keenly. Knowing next weekend was on the horizon, she had been able to curtail her needs, but now with it gone, she was feeling it more. That and a strong desire to complete the mating bond were nearly enough to drive her insane.

Then a thought hit her, why couldn't she still have her weekend; after all, she had an apartment in Seattle. She usually booked hotels, as it was easier to get rid of women in the morning. But with her mates, none of that was necessary, no one needed to get out of bed come morning. She smiled to herself, loving that idea; of course, she would have to tell them everything and confess she knew they were vampires. Everything would be out in the open by the end of the week she had decided. "It would have been so much easier if Charlie hadn't been such a chicken shit about it all.

Victoria collapsed on Bella's king-size bed. "I love the size of her bed." She teased.

"We are a long way from there, Vick," Rosalie said with a sigh.

"We could always hasten things. We know she isn't human or not entirely." Victoria added.

"We haven't even considered the fact that she might know what we are even if we don't know what she is," Alice interjected. It could be a real possibility the three wondered as they stared at each other.

"Shit, Alice, you might be..." Rosalie was cut off by the low moan from Bella.

"Oh, come on. I just about managed with that little bedtime ensemble of hers, but this." Victoria complained just as another moan left Bella.

"And yet you are not leaving." Rosalie quipped. There was no denying Bella had occupied their thoughts all week, and that had been hard enough. Their keen senses made what was going on in the shower rather obvious, and their bodies reacted strongly. "Fuck." Rosalie lamented as Bella reached her climax with a muttered fuck of her own.

"Let's be honest, it's the least we deserve we haven't exactly made the last couple of weeks easy on her," Victoria whispered.

"Speak for yourself." Rosalie retorted.

"Oh, weren't you the one bent over her truck knowing full well half your breast and ass were on display." Victoria returned.

"It's how I dress. I didn't know I would be bent over her truck." Rosalie said with a shrug.

"Sure." Alice drawled.

A few minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom in a towel and sauntered to her closet. From their position on Bella's bed, they could see into the closet. Bella, of course, knew that as she pulled her towel off and dried herself. The three watched as she moisturized her skin, pulled on another lace low-rise shorts, and pulled on a matching bra. She pulled her jeans on, followed by a t-shirt. A pair of chucks completed her look. She grabbed a backpack and pulled a few items from her closet. "Okay, I am good to go." She turned around to find onyx black eyes staring back at her. The room was saturated with the smell of their arousal. With a sigh, she walked over to the window and opened it. She'd called Charlie a chicken for not telling the Cullen's the truth, but in reality, she was doing the same. Making excuses, using the idea of having fun with them to postpone her telling them. Yeah, she could ignore the eyes staring back at her, but the way they were looking at her made it obvious they didn't want to ignore it. Her little stunt had clearly pushed them over the edge.

The three were sat on her bed as their eyes tracked Bella's every movement across the room. Bella had made it impossible to ignore the otherness that encompassed them. None was making any effort to hide the lustful needy eyes that stared at the girl.

Bella stood in front of them, and for the first time in a long time, her nerves made an appearance. In truth, they made her slightly nervous, but at that moment, it made itself known to an extent it couldn't be ignored. "So... I'm mated to three vampires." Rose sucked in a breath, Alice smiled, and Victoria purred.

"And we are mated to a..."Bella wasn't the least bit surprised to hear the question from Rose.

"To a vampire..." Eyebrows hit hairlines. "...well, half a vampire." She added, kneeling in front of them.

"You are a half vampire?" The disbelief was evident in Victoria's voice.

"I know... it's hard to believe, but it's true. We are rare, and I mean rare. I have only met four others, and they are all siblings or at least half siblings from one vampire and different human women. They don't survive the birth. Well, my grandma did, grandpa changed her just us Charlie tore his way out. Charlie doesn't like to think or talk about his birth. He remembers it all."

"I'm sorry... I'm..."

"My grandfather is a vampire, a blood drinking, sparkle in the sun vampire. He was a human drinker and wasn't picky about the humans he drunk from. Then one night, while stalking a human, he found him stalking another, a woman who turned out to be his mate. He couldn't believe it. Here he was a vampire with zero respect for human life, finding his soul mate in a human. He saved her life, and in the process, it was clear he wasn't human, but she couldn't bring herself to run from him. He says he would have let her go, and found a way to win her over, but she was just as drawn to him. He had no idea he could impregnate her, and he did. The pregnancy was fraught with difficulty, and he didn't know if she would make it, but she did."

"So Charlie's father is a vampire, and his mother as a human gave birth to him, and then his father changed her."

"That's his story," Bella said with a nod.

"Okay, what's your story?" Bella could still hear the disbelief in Rosalie's voice.

"Her mother is also a dhampir," Charlie answered as he stood in the doorway. The four had been so engrossed in the story none had heard him come in and up the stairs.

"God, I hate that term," Bella mumbled.

"It's what you are." Charlie retorted. "I met Bella's mother in the eighties, and well, you can imagine how quickly we gravitated towards each other. I had never met another of my kind, and she hadn't either. We weren't mated, we bonded over our shared uniqueness, but we weren't in love, but I was ecstatic when she fell pregnant with Bella as I didn't think it was possible. It wasn't what she wanted, and I understood when she decided motherhood was not for her." Rose frowned at that. "I moved in with my parents; after all, if anyone understood, it was them. We are unique from the pregnancy to our growing. I looked like this by the time I was seven and haven't changed since. I started growing my beard then and haven't shaved since. Bella was the same."

"So, you are not twenty one?" Alice asked.

"I am, I was born in 1987, it's 2009, I will be twenty-two this September. Charlie, though, is old." Bella teased.

"Carlisle and Eleazar are going to lose their minds." Victoria quipped, earning smiles from the other two.

"Well then, let's go. I was promised a feast." Bella stood up. Her mates still looked somewhat dazed over the story they'd just heard. "I will tell you more later, but seriously you promised food."

"How fast are you?" Alice asked as they headed to a jeep that didn't really fit with any of them.

"Not as fast as you, but I have beaten a vampire before. I genuinely think speed was a problem for him." Victoria chuckled at that. "I think our senses are pretty much on par."

"Do you have a gift?" Victoria leaped into the backseat before anyone else could. It was apparent she wanted to sit next to Bella.

"Yeah, I'm a shield, mental and physical. The metal shield is a constant; it's always there. It actually takes more work to pull it back from myself than to expand it. The physical shield I've never had to use it come to think of it.

"We are here." Alice chirped, jumping out of the jeep. The Cullen's house was huge. Bella knew there were a lot of them, which was odd as the Volturi had issues with large covens other than their own.

The front door was pulled open by muscle. "My jeep better be in one piece."

"Bella, this uncouth mammoth is Emmett." Alice practically somersaulted of the jeep into Bella's arms. Emmett's eyes widened at the scene but said nothing. As far as he knew, Bella knew nothing about them, and Alice's display wasn't out of the norm for a human.

"Hello, Emmett." The jeep definitely seemed more his style.

"Bella, please come in." With an ease that belied her look, Bella tossed Alice over her shoulder much to the tiny vampire's dismay.

"Isabella Swan put me down." She growled.

"Nope." To their surprised, Bella smacked her ass to boot. Alice's indignant huff had them all giggling.

The entire coven was in the living room, clearly waiting to see her. "Wow, there really are a lot of you. I'm surprised the Volturi allowed it." She chuckled at the various displays of shock and disbelief. Alice tried to wiggle free only for Bella to clamp her arms around her thighs.

"Isabella put me down."

"No."

"How do you know about the Volturi?" Carlisle asked.

"Oh, you know here and there." Edward's eyebrows rose at the answer. Victoria shook her head at him. Clearly, Bella intended to have some fun with this. Out of the blue Bella, let go of Alice, who took the opportunity to leap off the girl. "Mrs. Cullen, hello." Bella moved towards Esme with a speed that rivaled them. "My father talks about you all the time. I will know you anywhere. His description of you is spot on. I think he's a little in love with you if I'm honest."

"Way to throw Charlie under the bus," Emmett whispered.

"You mean like him leaving the truth of what we are to me," Bella replied, her eyes still on Esme.

"He needs a woman in his life... I believe you'd be perfect."

"Thank you, dear, but I am married."

"I could always make him disappear, just give me the word." She whispered.

"I can hear you." Carlisle crossed his arms over his chest and stood tall.

"Right." Bella drew the word out.

"Anyway, I was promised a feast. You don't know me, but I can assure you, I am wasting away. My fat reserves are dwindling rather fast."

"Right this way." Esme led the way to the kitchen.

"What are you?" Carlisle was desperate to know what Bella was. The idea of supernatural species they knew nothing about was fascinating.

"I'm sorry, what," Bella asked her eyes glued to the plate in Esme's hand.

"I'm curious as to how you know about the Volturi." Bella eagerly accepted the plate of steak, potatoes, and roasted vegetables and peppers. She took a bit and let out a moan that verged on indecent.

"Mrs. Cullen, this is one of the best meals I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

"My daddy will really appreciate a woman like you." She muttered as she got back to her food.

"I..."

"Carlisle." Esme's tone shut him up. He could ask his questions after Bella was finished with her food. They were curious to know what Bella was. "Please, dear, it's Esme." Bella nodded as her mouth was full.

"So," Jasper asked Alice, who smirked but said nothing.

"Spill," Tanya growled at him.

"I can't hear you," Edward said instead to Bella.

"I'm a shield." She frowned at the empty plate.

"Would you like some more?" Esme could she the girl was far from full.

"Thank you, and if you double the amount." Esme looked shocked but filled her plate all the same. "I don't usually eat so much, but I haven't hunted in a while.

"Do you follow our diet?" Rosalie's question turned all heads on her.

"Yep, I don't need blood as much as you do. I go through stages where the idea of human food doesn't appeal in the least. Then there are times like this."

"You are a vampire?" Carlisle asked shocked.

"How else will I know about the Volturi?" Bella countered.

"But you have a heartbeat... the rhythm is not consistent with anything I've heard before but still."

"That would be my human half." It wasn't every day she got to reveal their existence to vampires, and she was dragging it out. She also found the doc's frustration very amusing.

"I'm confused," Carlisle muttered.

"Bella is a dhampir." Victoria finally put Carlisle out of his misery.

"I hate that term," Bella whined. "Just say half."

"That is not possible." Eleazar murmured in disbelief.

Alice, Victoria, and Rose went on to tell Bella's story as she continued to eat. Esme had offered dessert, which was wholly welcomed. Bella ate half the tiramisu, which would typically serve four.

"Esme, that was wonderful. Thank you so much. I normally only bother with human food when my grandma is around to cook." Esme smiled at the compliment.

"Can I ask? Who is your grandfather?"

"Robert Swan." Bella giggled. "And he really doesn't like you."

"I have no idea who he is," Carlisle replied.

"No, if you did, you would never have stepped foot in Forks, so I am rather grateful you didn't."

"He was here the first time we moved here." Vampires were territorial creatures, and Robert Swan would have had every right to tell them to leave, but for some reason, he didn't. "Why didn't he tell us to leave?"

"Grandma wouldn't let him." Bella smiled. It was the kind of warm and loving smile that had Alice moving to stand between her legs while she sat on the stool. That had Victoria wrapping an arm over Bella's shoulders, and Rose moved to stand behind her with a hand on Bella's shoulder. "We always joked that grandma's beast was nonexistent until you threaten her family. It's easy to be a coven; it's harder to be a family. She saw a family much like her own." Bella looked at the three vampires wrapped around her. "I believe at the time you also killed a vampire that was determined to hunt Ephraim Black. You earned his respect coming to the aid of a man who hated you."

"Thanks to Vicky here." Emmett jumped in.

"James asked me to watch a coven to see if they'd interfere in his hunt. That was the biggest mistake he did. Much like your grandmother, I saw a family and wanted that. I was tired of James and his games. We were constantly in danger... I couldn't do it anymore. Four hundred years of his bullshit had worn me down. I also realized he wasn't my mate. One look at Carlisle and Esme, and I knew he had lied to me about something so fundamental."

"She came to us and warned us. Asked to be a part of our family. At the time, it was just five of us." Rose added.

"We have taken up enough of your time." Esme stepped in before Carlisle and Eleazar could further interrogate Bella.

Bella smiled at Esme and followed her mates out of the main house as she looked forward to getting to know them better.


	11. Chapter 11

Bella's relationship with Alice and Victoria was that of three people who had known each other for a good long while, Rosalie, on the other hand, kept Bella at a distance. It was not evident to an outsider, nor would it have to Bella had she not witnessed Rosalie's relationship with Alice and Victoria. Of course, her imagination could never have conjured up something so despicable to explain Rosalie's distance. Rosalie, it seemed was gearing up to tell Bella the circumstances surrounding her becoming a vampire. Now that she knew, Bella felt that barrier between them fall. Her anger had been palpable, but what happened had happened, there was nothing she could do, Rosalie had taken care of the men herself. "Relax that jaw before you break it." Rosalie teased, despite the palpable tension in her mate. "It was a long time ago, Bells. I won't lie, it has taken me a while to get over it, but I am."

"Thank you for telling me." Bella took Rose's hand in hers.

"I didn't think we could really move forward unless I did. I don't like talking about it, but it was necessary."

"I can understand that." To her surprise, Rose leaned in and kissed her.

The two were quietly lying in bed when Victoria and Alice came in. The two could hear them coming from a mile away as they bickered. "What now?" Rose growled.

"Alice wants to go shopping in Italy." Victoria groused.

"What is wrong with that?" Bella asked, perplexed as Rosalie seemed annoyed with the idea as well.

"The Volturi, that's why. We learned from Eleazar that Aro has a knack for going after gifted vampires whether they want to join the guard or not. We cannot risk running into one of the guards. Maybe we are being overly cautious, but it's better to safe than a guard." Rose chimed in. Bella could tell their fear of Aro learning about their gifted family members truly frightened them.

"But Bella is a shield. Aro would see nothing if he took my hand." Alice seemed to have pinned her hopes on her.

"Actually, I can do one better than that. My grandmother can shield far greater distances than I can. I inherited my gift from her, after all. She could be on another planet, and her shield would still work. If we were separated, I couldn't guarantee my shield would work."

"We can all be shielded from Aro," Victoria asked with such hope in her voice, it made Bella smile.

"Yep, you are family now. You will find she will do so without my asking when she comes to visit. So yeah, Alice can shop in Italy without fear of the Volturi." Bella said with a shrug. Alice squealed before jumping on Bella.

"This is so great." Bella didn't see what the big deal was about being able to shop in Italy, but if it made Alice happy, then it was worth it. "We are going shopping, the minute your grandmother shields us." She added.

"Didn't think there could be a downside to this, but I have just found it," Victoria grumbled at the idea of shopping.

"It surely can't be that bad," Bella muttered.

"The joys of ignorance," Rosalie said with a chuckle.

Several hours later, they were still in bed, getting to know more about each other. The three seemed so fascinated with Bella's life. The idea of vampires having children had never occurred to any of them. Carlisle and Eleazar, who had access to the Volturi library for decades, had never heard of such a thing. "Wait a second." Alice sat up, straddling Bella. "You remember your birth?"

"Yeah, I remember my last few weeks in the womb."

"Wow," Alice muttered. The excitable pixie was bouncing in a somewhat perilous position. Bella gripped Alice's hips and tried moving the girl only for the girl to slap her hands away. "I love this position; it feels good." She moaned. Things just took a very different turn. Bella's willpower at this point was shot, her patience waiting for Rosalie to get past the barrier holding her back had long abandoned her.

Whatever protestation was about to leave her died in her throat when Rose slammed her lips on Bella's. Marble like skin was surprisingly soft as well. It was a contrast she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. Rose moaned as Bella's tongue found it's way into Rose's mouth. Tongues dueled as the kiss got even more heated. Bella felt hands work their way under her t-shirt.

Suddenly all three girls pulled away, Bella was sure her eyes were just as black as her mates. She was panting hard, trying to catch her breath. The three slowly stripped out of their clothes, she didn't know who to look at. This was too much.

Victoria crawled towards her and ripped Bella's shirt off, swiftly followed by her bra. Rose and Alice had her jeans off in the same breath. "No panty." Victoria purred. There was something incredibly primal about Victoria that Bella would admit scared her a little.

"You have been incredibly patient with our Rosie." Alice sounded like pure sex to her ears. "You should be rewarded for your patience." She had no time to formulate a response before all three descended on her.

Even though someone had bothered to close the shutters, there was light still flittering through the shutters casting a series of lines on the far wall. Bella was alone that much she could tell, she sat up taking stock of her body. She ached for the first time in her life due to sex. Sex with humans certainly didn't leave her bruised, it was nowhere as satisfying as what she just experienced in the last day or so. The door opened and in came Alice. "I've got breakfast." Indeed she had a tray of an assortment of foods.

"Thank you." Bella groaned as she sat up against the headboard. Alice placed a large tray on her lap and arranged the pillows behind Bella.

"How are you feeling?"

"Very sated and a little sore, but I should be good after I hunt." She admitted.

"Did we get carried away?" Rose asked from the doorway.

"Far from it. I'm used to humans and their limited stamina and soft grips. I will get used to you guys soon enough."

"Oh, great we didn't kill you." Victoria sauntered in. Bella was grateful she had swallowed her bacon as she cracked up laughing.

"No, it will take more than that to kill me, despite your biting me." She retorted.

"I like to bite… bite me." Victoria laid behind Rose, spooning her. Bella smiled, shaking her head, and went back to her breakfast.

* * *

"Now, grandpa, please behave." Bella pleaded, he could act as if a juvenile delinquent when he felt like it. "Of course, When do I not?" She groaned, knowing it was a lost course. The front door to the Cullen home opened to the sight of Esme and Carlisle.

"There they are, the vampires that kicked me out of my territory." Esme actually chuckled, while Carlisle grimaced.

"You lasted all of two seconds," Charlie grumbled.

"Just stating facts," Robert mumbled.

"Your fact doesn't make it fact," Katherine uttered, shutting him up.

"Oh, you must be Esme, my son talks about you all the time."

"MOTHER." Charlie bellowed.

"Well, you do. You can't expect me to lie." Sniggering could be heard coming from the house. Even Bella and Robert failed to keep their laughter at bay.

"Bella already gave you up," Carlisle said nonchalantly.

"Okay, can we put our filters back in place." Bella murmured as Charlie glared at her. She avoided eye contact with him, choosing to disappear into the house to find her mates.

Grandma, grandpa, this is Alice, Rosalie, and Victoria, my mates." Bella introduced.

Well, every food group is covered between you and your mates." Bella shut her eyes in disbelief.

"Why can't you… you are ancient behave like it." Bella retorted.

"What! A redhead, a blonde, black and brunette, all food groups covered." Emmett lost it as he finally understood what the food group joke meant. A loud noise shut him up.

Robert grabbed the back of his head after Katherine smacked him. "If you are determined to act like such a juvenile, I will treat you like one." Robert looked positively chastised.

Everyone sat around the dining table even though only Charlie and Bella were the only two eating. "Aro is never going to leave you alone with the size of your coven," Katherine commented worriedly for her grandchild and her new family.

"Aro is nothing to worry about." Robert brushed her concerns aside. "I knew the little twerp when he was a human child. His father was a trader, at the time, I was an exporter, and he needed one of my ships to export textiles from China."

"Just how old are you?" Carlisle asked in disbelief.

"I have no real idea. Most likely born around 2500 BC give or take a few hundred years. The first vampires I met were Amun and Kebi."

"That is old." Emmett murmured.

"Even Charlie is older than Aro," Bella added, shocking everyone.

"What!" Alice exclaimed.

"I told you Charlie was old." Everyone stared at the unassuming half-vampire in shock. Nothing about the half-vampire gave away is years on the earth, and that was just how he liked to live his life.

"And he still hasn't found a mate," Katherine muttered worriedly.

"Mother, I am fine with the way my life is, if one comes along, then sure, if not, then so be it," Charlie said with a shrug.

"Certainly not going to happen if you choose to hide in Forks." His father interjected.

"Are we really going to do this here?" Charlie groused.

"I can't take you people anywhere," Bella grumbled under her breath, not that she couldn't be heard. Victoria chuckled at the comment.

"It's so normal, we see this all the time but mostly with human families."

"Yes, Katherine certainly reminded me of my humanity. After all this time, she hasn't lost her's either. She, after all this time, has never taken a human life." Robert added proudly.

"My own personal record, one I intend to keep for however long I am in this world," Katherine added.

"You Swans are full of surprises." Rose intoned as she stared at Katherine in awe.

"I think it helps that I'm a shield. I never went through the newborn phase, not much of a bloodlust to began with and nonexistent in the last several centuries." Katherine turned her attention to Jasper. "I can help you shield other's emotions to the point of not feeling it at all until you choose to. Same with your telepathy." She said to Edward. Both nodded eagerly. "Good, you will find it will help your bloodlust." She said to Jasper something he welcomed wholly. Irina took his hand in hers and smiled at him. She knew more than anyone how much he suffered and fought his bloodlust, especially having to deal with everyone else's.

* * *

Bella stared at her mangled neck in the mirror. She was grateful the venom didn't leave a scar on her as it did on vampires, or else her neck would look like mangled meat pressed back together. "Oh, you are fine," Victoria said with a purr. The redhead was still naked in her bed, with zero intention of moving. "Come back to bed." She put her hand out for Bella to join her.

"My neck is off limit," Bella warned.

"Can I bite other parts?" She asked, batting her eyelashes. Bella found the act rather unsettling.

"No, everything is off-limits until I hunt." Victoria pouted but acquiesced.

In the last couple of years, she had settled into life with the Cullen's seamlessly. Charlie had decided to do a little traveling a year ago and was now heading back to Forks with her grandparents in tow. Alice and Rose were currently shopping for her birthday. The Cullen's seemed to use her as an excuse to truly celebrate the human holidays. She was never big on celebrating them much herself, but she indulged her in-laws, especially Esme.

"We are back," Alice called out as if Victoria and Bella hadn't already heard them long before they made it to the house.

"What am I getting?" Bella asked even though she wouldn't find out until the day.

"You will find out soon enough," Rose answered, coming into the bedroom. "I see you two kept busy." She teased as she joined them on the bed.

"I had a very different kind of busy in mind, but Vic also had other ideas. As you see, her idea won." Bella quipped.

"I'm sure you put up a valiant fight." Alice joined in the jesting.

"She did, but in the end, she fell as valiantly as she fought." Victoria went to nuzzle Bella's neck, only to find the half-vampire on the other side of the room, much to her mates amusement.

"I'm going to hunt before you get any more brilliant ideas." She could hear laughing as she leaped over the river into the forest.

She ran past Jasper and Irina, he was a very different vampire since he learned to block emotions. He was even more mischievous than Emmett, though he still had his serious moments. He just seemed free with not having to fight his and other's bloodlust most of the time.

A couple of hours later, when she made it back home, she found all the Cullens in the living room. Something was wrong. "What did I miss?"

"The Volturi are on the Continent, and when Demetri couldn't find Carlisle, Aro worried and is coming to visit. It's all three kings and a few of the guards." Alice answered.

"We do know there are many because there was a threat in Canada, and Aro decided to call on Carlisle after it was dealt with," Eleazar added.

"Well, we know the shield is working as it should." Bella murmured as she got out her phone and send a text. "When is this visit?"

"In two days," Alice answered. Bella nodded, her family would be there by the time the Volturi arrived. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Eleazar had heard rumors Aro was now aware of their combined coven, and their growing numbers. Without Alice, this would have been one hell of a surprise.

* * *

Aro looked perplexed when he got nothing from Carlisle. Aro knew Carlisle, he knew Carlisle's mind was one he could get into, but he couldn't. He moved directly to Eleazar and Carmen and found he could not read their minds either. "It seems all your minds are silent to me." There was obvious discomfort among the guards.

"I'm afraid my daughter's mate renders all powers null." Aro's eyes lit up.

"Astonishing." He whispered, then turned to Jane. "I wonder if… dear Jane, could you."

"Of course, master." She said with a saccharine-sweet smile, but it soon turned to anger when she found her gift useless as well.

Aro laughed loud. "Could I meet this vampire?" Aro asked, but everyone knew it wasn't a request that could be turned down.

"I never said she was a vampire," Carlisle replied.

"A human… so powerful already." Aro could not believe his luck. Such a gift would make the Volturi invincible, and Carlisle had just given him a reason to take the human.

"Now, that is just insulting," Bella said as she moved right into the middle of the room with speed.

"No, she is not human," Carlisle added with a smile bothering on smug.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Aro, son of Arius. I had heard of you leading my creations, but I just hadn't found the time to see if it was true."

If Aro had been surprised by the greeting, he didn't show it. His guards and Caius did. "You seem to know who I am."

"My one flaw is the loss of your human memories when your change is complete. The pain must be really excruciating to cause such loss." Bella took a sit in the middle of the three-seater and spread her arms. Like a well-rehearsed plan, Rosalie, Alice, and Victoria moved to sit around her. The rest of the Cullen's sat, including her grandparents, who Aro had paid little attention to. Charlie didn't need to be there as the two of them weren't required.

The Volturi guards appeared unsettled as they had no idea what they had walked into. "Your creations?" Caius asked his sneer firmly in place.

"How is your sister Didyme, if I remember correctly. She was but a newborn baby when I last saw your family." Marcus woke up then.

"You knew me as a human?" Aro's disbelief at the entire display began to show.

"Indeed… well, I knew your father. He used my ships for his exporting business. He was a great businessman. I am pleased to see you as one of my creations. Pray tell, who is your maker. I would know him. There were not many of you then" Though Bella sat, one would swear she was looking down at Aro.

"I have no knowledge..."

"How could you create us?" Caius bellowed interrupting the conversation. Bella turned her golden eyes on him, and Caius appeared to be struggling to get out of something that was squeezing him. Cracks began to appear on him. He put his arm out, only for his wrist to break. Katherine stopped her physical shield then.

"You only speak when you are spoken to. Is that clear, you insolent little child." Caius nodded as he tried to put his hand back together. "I believe you came to visit your friend. Please go ahead." Aro looked at Caius, whose cracked skin was still healing.

"Demetri could not find you, and it left me concerned. You are well as is your coven, so I will bid you farewell." Aro looked around the room and turned to leave.

"Aro, you still have not told me of your sister," Bella called out as he got to the door.

"She is no longer with us." Aro, to her surprise, looked more nervous about Marcus than the supposed creator of vampires.

"That is unfortunate. I will come to Volterra as soon as time allows. We have much to discuss." With a nod, he and the guards disappeared.

Everyone turned to Edward ones they were gone. "First thing, Marcus is out from under Chelsea's influence and plans to kill Aro before they make it Volterra. He does not care if he dies in the process, as he intends to kill himself anyway. That is good for us, as Aro was thinking of ways to get you into his coven. He even considered offering you a seat as a queen."

"So he believed the creator of vampires shit?" Bella asked in shock.

"Why would he not when someone who looks like a human say they knew him as a human child and nearly turned Caius into rubble," Emmett interjected with a laugh.

Actually, he stopped questioning it after Caius was nearly turned into rubble with just a look. Worse, none of their gifts would have worked had we decided to take them on. He would have been a problem, but thanks to Katherine shielding Marcus, we have nothing to worry about." Edward said with a smile. "Thank God for you three because, the minute he walked in here and saw our size, he was planning elimination and taking whichever one of us had gifts. Not being able to read any of us disconcerted him at first because he couldn't figure out which of us had gifts without it." Edward added.

Bella took out the uncomfortable contact lenses. "Can't believe we went through the trouble of finding these, and he didn't even notice." She groused.

"Oh, he did. He was hoping just as much as we were that no one would mention it. Aro thought it was because you created us to live on animal blood." He added with a laugh. "He was disgusted by the idea in ways you would not believe."

"I still can't believe it worked." Rose murmured firmly snuggled into Bella's side.

An hour later Charlie confirmed their departure, Bella at this point was in bed with her mates, each going over how well it had worked out. "We would not be here without you," Victoria whispered.

"Technically, without the shield, Demetri would have found Carlisle and Aro would not have felt the need to check on him," Bella replied.

"I still believe he would have come no matter what. You heard Eleazar, Aro had learned about our numbers." Alice interjected.

"None of that matters now, it all worked out." Bella sighed. Victoria slid up Bella's body and started nuzzling her neck. "For the love of God, Vick, stop biting me," Bella complained, earning uproarious laughter from her mates. She rolled her eyes at them, she loved them and the life she had with them, and no one would disrupt that.


	12. Chapter 12

**One God Thing Chapter 1**

**Summary: Bella is having the worst week possible, but things are about to look up. **

**Bella/Victoria**

Victoria stared at the caller ID and answered the phone with a smile. "Hello, mother."

"Yes, I know you are thoroughly amused by my calling, but I cannot help myself. I take it you have everything in order?" Elizabeth asked, knowing her daughter did.

"Yes, although there is one thing I cannot account for, I believe I can work around it if need be. I would have to wait another week, but I'd rather not."

"Call me when it's done." Her mother said just as her target's car came into view and then disappeared under the building to the parking garage.

"I will." She murmured her eyes glued to the fourteenth-floor apartment across the street. She watched as Collin Spencer entered his home. He made his way directly to his office and stayed there until it was time to leave. Collin Spencer was a man of routine, every Friday night was spent at the club, on certain nights he left with a female. Victoria was hoping today would not be such a day because then she would have to wait another week, and she honestly did not want Roman Spencer to deal with his father for another week. In the last six weeks, Collin had taken to physically abusing his eight-year-old son. He had paid the babysitter a lot to look the other way, and she had happily done so. She was next on Victoria's list.

Collin got dressed and left the apartment without so much as a look in on his son, and Victoria knew the boy was grateful for it. Victoria did not care why the man had suddenly taken to abusing his son. All she knew was that he had struck the boy a few days ago, he was forced to stay home from school. The angry bruise on the left side of his face could not be explained away. Victoria knew the boy's maternal grandparents wanted him, but the father had blocked it. Victoria would end Collin Spencer, and his son would find a loving home with his grandparents without objection.

She didn't need to follow him, she knew his route well. She left her apartment half an hour later and took a leisurely stroll towards what would be her hiding place. It was a somewhat convoluted route, but it was done to avoid the CCTV cameras. From the alleyway, she leaped onto the building.

Waiting on the rooftop of an abandoned building with perfect sight to the path Collin would take on his way home, her mind wandered to her own rescue. Victoria's family had been poor, her father worked in the markets if there was work to be found. Victoria, at fourteen summers, carried goods for the wealthy as they shopped. One such wealthy woman was Elizabeth. Elizabeth was beyond kind and often paid far more than the going rate.

Victoria's biggest fear was being sold into slavery, she had seen so many sold as their families struggled. Her fear came to pass when she saw her father in deep discussions with a man she knew to be rather cruel. Her father had been given so much for her and had sold her that day at the market. Victoria had been hiding in an alcove and stayed hidden as her father looked around for her. She stayed hidden as he called for her. She was only delaying the inevitable, that much she knew, but still, she stayed hidden. More words were exchanged, and the man walked away. Her father would soon have to deliver her. She considered running to the Amesbury Abbey and was going to do just that when she turned and bumped into Elizabeth.

"Come with me," Elizabeth said before she had thought to utter a word. Victoria found herself in a part of the market she had never ventured and soon ushered into a carriage. "You will not be sold to that brute," Elizabeth growled as the carriage sped to her home. "I will make your father a much better offer for you. By law, until you are actually in Alwin's hand, the sale is not yet complete, and another can intercede. The relief that left Victoria at those words shook her small but powerful body. Working from a young age had given her a lot of strength.

Elizabeth had offered her father ten times what Alwin had offered, knowing the man could never beat such an offer. Elizabeth arrived home, and that very evening they left Amesbury for Athens, and only returned to England when William the Conqueror was crowned king. At that time, she learned all about vampires, Elizabeth's maternal bond to her, and she at twenty-two became a vampire.

For two more hours, Victoria waited, crouched on the building unmoving as she waited for her target. Collin Spencer walked home from the club, as usual, it was a chance to clear his head before he got home. There was a point in his life when it was full of joy and happiness. Even when they discovered Catherine could not have kids, they were happy. Then by some unholy miracle, Catherine fell pregnant, and despite the doctor's warning, Catherine chose the boy over him. She died giving birth, and he had been forced to raise a son he couldn't stand. During the last few months, he had found the boy looked so much like Catherine, as though tormenting him. Well, not if his face was black and blue, he couldn't. Some nights it took a great deal of strength not to walk into that boy's room and rearrange his face until it was unrecognizable. He was pulled out of his musings when he was yanked into an alley. Before he uttered a word in protest, he felt the cold steel slip right into him. He coughed, and blood sprayed over his cashmere coat.

"You." He groaned. Collin knew his beautiful neighbor from the building across, he had always thought of asking her out, but never got the chance.

"Yes, me, and I bet you are wondering why?" Victoria kneeled in front of him with the grace of a jungle cat. "I can see into your apartment from mine, and I could not stand by and let you kill Roman, which is what you would have eventually done."

"There is nothing wrong with killing a killer." Collin groaned before slumping over. Victoria emptied his wallet, relieved him of his Rolex watch and phone. It was a shame to get rid of the Rolex, but she couldn't hold on to it as such pieces had serial numbers linking it to their owners. She wasn't about to tempt fate.

Four hours later, Roman Spencer's grandparents came for him. The police questioned the babysitter, she was sure it was regarding the rather large bruise on the side of their grandson's face. Naturally, the sitter claimed to know nothing about it. Victoria couldn't hear it, but she could read between the lines well.

Just over a month later, Collin Spencer's death was still unsolved and looked like it would remain so. With no one harassing the authorities to find the culprit, it quickly became a cold case.

* * *

As birthdays went, it had been a shitty one for Bella, it was also her eighteenth birthday. Her flight from Phoenix had been delayed due to a passenger suffering a seizure while they boarded. He had to be taken off, and worse, his luggage had to also be taken off the flight. By the time she made it to Seattle, the Bus to Port Angeles had long left. The next available bus was on Monday; Charlie had booked her a room in the Four Seasons of all places. At least that one good thing had put a smile on face her for the first time all week.

She was supposed to have made a move a week ago, but one fucked up incident after another meant she had been forced to make the trip on her birthday so she could at least start her final year at Forks High on Monday. It seemed that wasn't going to be possible either as she would still be in Seattle come Monday. Maybe, she should have let Charlie come and got her when he first offered.

That thought quickly evaporated when she took in the room. It was a large room with a king-size bed and a view of Elliot Bay. The bathroom was all marble; she had a shower and a tub. "Thank you, Charlie." She sang as she collapsed onto the bed with a giggle.

She took a well-earned shower and rifled through her suitcase for something decent to wear. She decided against room service and was bravely going to head to the bar. She was going to try a little alcohol for the first time in her life. Room service might come in handy later.

She entered the elevator and damn near face-planted at the sight of a beautiful woman standing in the corner, legs crossed at her ankles and smiling at something on her phone. Bella found herself feeling grateful, the red-haired hadn't caught her tripping over air. Bella took a shaky breath as the doors closed, she could still see the woman clearly in the reflection of the doors. She was pale with flawless skin, she had long curly hair, it wasn't orange, but not red either. She was taller than Bella by a couple of inches. Bella noticed the bright red eyes when she looked up, and she quickly looked away.

"Hi," Victoria greeted the brunette, who was desperately trying not to stare.

"Hi," Bella replied, turning around to look at the red-haired beauty and quickly averting her gaze.

"Headed for something to eat?" Victoria asked.

"Erm… no, it's my eighteenth birthday, I was going to try a little alcohol." She murmured, feeling incredibly silly all of a sudden.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" Her smile had Bella a little lost for words, so she simply nodded her assent. "Excellent, I'm Victoria by the way." She put her hand out.

"Bella." She took the offered hand, it felt cold and hard and a little too smooth. Something about Vitoria seemed familiar, but for the life of her, Bella couldn't recall how she knew her. "Have we met before?" She blurted without thought, then quickly blushed.

"I'm sure I would have remembered you." Victoria purred, earning another blush from Bella.

The rest of the elevator ride was taken in silence. Victoria found the brunette shyness endearing. She couldn't help but touch Bella as they made their way through the foyer to the bar. "What drink would you like to try first?" She asked as she pulled out a seat in the corner for Bella.

"First?" Bella chuckled. "I just want to try one drink to see what the fuss is about, but I know I'm not a drinker." She'd seen enough alcohol at parties and knew it wasn't for her. No one in school ever threw a party without a copious amount of alcohol, and none interested her.

"Well, then, pick well." Victoria teased.

In the end, Bella went with a fruity cocktail that was so sweet you could easily be fooled into thinking it contained no alcohol. "You'd like another." Victoria laughed.

"It's so good." She moaned, and the vampire shifted unconsciously in her seat. "What drink is it?" Bella asked.

"I have no idea, I asked the bartender to surprise me." Victoria knocked back her whiskey and sat back.

"How strong is that?" Bella asked, noticing the ease with which Victoria knocked back the drink.

"It's strong, but it's the only other thing I can drink, and I do it in moderation." Spirits had no effect on her lack of a digestive system. In fact, it actually had a surprisingly good taste. "If you want to try one, I would not advise you drinking one on an empty stomach," Victoria advised.

"You've eaten already." Bella's disappointment was not missed by the vampire.

"I have, but I would gladly keep you company if you decided to get something for yourself." Victoria offered.

Several hours later, the two had gotten somewhat comfortable with each other, enough to talk about their families. "That was a rather lovely birthday gift from your father." Victoria murmured.

"Yes, it was unexpected. I was in a rather foul mood when I called Charlie. He said he'd call me back and when he did, he had arranged a weekend here for my birthday." Bella said with a smile.

"You are eighteen, why didn't you just stay in Phoenix?"

"Renee had decided to sell the house, and I had no desire to move to Florida." She answered with a shrug.

"Can't say I blame you," Victoria mumbled. She'd lasted all of three days in Florida. "So what are your plans for the rest of the evening?" she asked nonchalantly.

"I don't know, head back to my room and do some sightseeing tomorrow," Bella shrugged.

"You could always come back to my room." The meaning was not hidden. "Unless I have read this wrong." She hadn't, she never did.

"I'm not entirely sure… erm…" Bella desperately wanted to say yes, but there was something about Victoria that scared her.

"There are cameras everywhere. There is one in the elevator and on the corridor. You will be seen entering my room. I have no intention of hurting you." Victoria said, picking up on Bella's concern. Still, Bella hesitated. "The only screaming you will do will be one of pleasure. I do want you, I have since you entered the elevator." Bella blushed and quickly nodded.

"I want to hear you say it," Victoria whispered.

"Okay." She whispered, trying to beat back the blush threatening to turn her into the color of Victoria's eyes.

* * *

Victoria had a first-class ticket to London, she'd spend five days and then fly to Athens to see her mother. This time she planned on staying a long while, hopefully, get into a little trouble. That was until she spied Isabella Swan, the human simply walked into Phoenix Sky Harbor International, and turned Victoria's world upside down. She had promptly called Elizabeth and explained the odd pulling sensation in her chest, who laughed and told Victoria she would see her shortly with her mate. She had found her mate just like that. She watched as the girl walked to a desk and checked in for a flight to Seattle. Victoria learned her name was Isabella Swan, and it was her birthday; unfortunately, the poor human's day was not going well.

She looked at her ticket in hand and tossed it. She'd never been so grateful for not having checked in yet. It appeared as though luck was on her side as the flight had one seat left, and far removed from her mate. She was not ready to reveal herself yet. She needed to have a firm idea of the girl's plans before she made her own. The lovely lady at the check-in desk had given Bella an upgrade to First, and Victoria now had her original seat.

Somehow she had managed to stay out of Bella's line of sight, and her hooded jacket help hide her distinctive hair. There was no forgetting that hair, it was a blessing and a curse. Their flight had been delayed, and the girl had missed her bus to Forks. Victoria now had the information she needed. Isabella was moving to Forks to finish her senior year.

Elizabeth, with her seemingly endless resourcefulness, had bought her a vacation home in Piedmont. She apparently made an offer the owner could not refuse. Elizabeth reminded her of the large coven that lived in the area, and as per protocol, Victoria had to formally greet them. She hated such fanfare, but needs must. It was also a chance to warn them to stay well clear of her human.

Thankfully, Bella's father had booked a room at the Four Seasons allowing Elizabeth to get the house in shape even from as far as Athens. Her mother was indeed resourceful. Victoria also booked herself a room for the weekend, two floors above the human's room. She left her room when Bella did and prayed the elevator came from above, not below. She truly was riding her luck that day when the elevator opened two floors down and in entered the human. She reveled at Bella's sudden lack of coordination at the sight of her, her increased heartbeat, and inability to stop staring at Victoria. Signs that boded well for her.

Victoria stood in the doorway to the bathroom staring at a sleeping Bella. She actually enjoyed sex with humans, most of their kind avoided it like the plague unless they had no qualms about killing said human. Victoria liked the human race, all vampires were humans before turned, but it was something they forgot quickly. She still had human connections, her two brothers and three sisters all married and had children, who had children of their own. She had several descendants, most she had help anonymously at one time or another. Centuries of practice meant she could truly enjoy her sexual encounters with humans without leaving a mark. The kind of humans she drained wasn't the kind she bedded. Bella, though, was different, Victoria's very existence would be shattered if anything were to happen to Bella. All of a sudden, the sleeping brunette was the most important thing in her life.

She slipped under the sheets and joined Bella, just lying next to her mate felt good. Then her phone rang, and with a sigh, she answered. "I'm told you found your mate." He said as though he expected the information to be wrong.

"Told or you went digging when I didn't turn up in London." She quipped.

"Yes, thanks for telling me you weren't coming, by the way." He groused, having run all the way there, hoping to see her.

"I forgot." Victoria shrugged petulantly.

"I hear she's human." Victoria sighed.

"She is, and I will tell her… in time…"

"You know the law." He argued. "I'm well aware there is some leeway when it comes to mates, but please be careful. We do not want to give Aro any leeway to finally get what he wants."

"Thank you, I will be, I didn't get to this age by being reckless." He scoffed, and she giggled. She knew how to get into trouble more than most.

"Hey, blame mother."

"I do." He said, hanging up without so much as a goodbye.

"Mother would be appalled by your lack of manners." She whispered to herself, staring at the phone.

* * *

When Bella woke up, it took her a few seconds to remember the events of a few hours ago and promptly blushed. "Even when I do nothing, I have you blushing." Victoria teased from the seat in the corner as she looked out the window. "Good morning, Isabella." Something about the way Victoria said her name sent a pleasurable shiver down Bella's spine.

"Good morning." She mumbled, trying her damndest not to hide her face in the pillow. She also unfortunately remembered biting the pillow to stop herself from screaming when Victoria had her at her mercy.

"There is no need to be so shy around me. I truly enjoyed myself with you, and I would like to see you more if you find that agreeable." Bella's eyes widened.

"Okay, but erm… where do you even live?"

"Piedmont." She answered with a rather smug grin.

"Oh, okay, that's close to Forks." Bella murmured as Victoria sauntered closer.

"It is, and hopefully, the work would be done on the house by the end of the week, so I can move in," Victoria said as she ran her finger over Bella's exposed arm.

"How old are you?" Bella asked.

"I'm twenty-two years old." it wasn't entirely a lie, but all the same, she hated omitting the fact that there were millennia in vampire years to boot.

"Okay," Bella whispered. "Yeah, I would like to see you again as well." She added much to Victoria's elation.

"Wonderful. Am I your first? That is if you don't mind me asking."

"I did have a girlfriend in Phoenix but things didn't get far before she moved. I didn't bother much after that." Bella said with a shrug. "So, yeah you are my first. It was not what I expected… it was great." She blushed vermillion. "Okaaay, I'm going to shower." She bolted out of bed and quickly realized she was naked.

"It's nothing I haven't already seen." Victoria made no attempt to hide her leering.

"Erm… I don't have a change of clothes." Bella murmured, shuffling from foot to foot.

"I can grab some things from your room for you if you wish," Victoria offered.

"Thanks." She quickly disappeared into the bathroom, much to Victoria's amusement. She remembered a time when humans weren't so uncomfortable with being naked.

Victoria got Bella's keycard out of her trouser pocket and made her way to the human's room. Victoria knew Bella will more than likely blush at the idea of her getting her panties and a bra. She grabbed a t-shirt and jeans and headed back up. Bella was still in the shower when she got back to the room. She placed the clothes on the vanity and exited the bathroom quickly, as much as she would have loved to join her mate in the shower, she didn't.

By the time Bella was done, she had ordered the human breakfast. Bella called Charlie to thank him for the wonderful gift and they talked about Jake anxious wait for her to get to Forks. The talk of the boy did not please Victoria in the least.

Then it all changed, Bella ended the call with a look of trepidation, Victoria did not need to see it, she could smell the stench of fear coming off the human in waves. Nothing in the conversation with her father should have brought on such a strong negative emotion. "Isabella, are you okay." She got up and moved closer only for Bella to bolt out of her chair and shuffle backward breakfast forgotten. Victoria stopped and put her hand out in a placating gesture.

"You are a vampire."


	13. Chapter 13

**One God Thing Chapter 2**

**Summary: Bella is having the worst week possible, but things are about to look up.**

**Bella/Victoria**

"You are a vampire," Bella whispered so low, Victoria just about heard her. With her secret out, she had no need to pretend she didn't hear it. Despite her shock at Bella somehow figuring out what she was and how a conversation with her father had triggered it, she focused on the important thing first.

"If I had any intention of hurting you, I would have done so already." Bella's rational mind would admit that the statement made a great deal of sense, but she was still in a hotel room with a vampire. Victoria could see how Bella's eyes kept darting to the door. "Isabella, please calm down and let's talk." Somehow the vampire pleading with her managed to get past her panicked state.

"You have red eyes." She blurted out. "The ones with gold eyes only drink from animals." Victoria raised an eyebrow at the human's seemingly extensive knowledge of them.

"Yes, I hunt humans, but I hunt pedophiles, rapists, abusers, drug dealers never people like you. I fight for people like you, though they never know why an attacker has suddenly vanished. I only ever go after the scum of this world." I truly adore you, but if this is too much for you, we can part ways… It would hurt, but I would understand." The thought of parting ways did not sit well with Bella.

"No, no… I'm good, it's going to take a minute to get my head around the fact that, the cold ones are real. I always thought they were just stories. You know… stories told to keep the Quileute children in line. Meaning… I will be damned, they turn into wolves." Victoria somehow managed to follow Bella's jumbled train of thought.

"There is a native tribe in Forks…"

"La Push," Bella emphasized.

"Who knows all about vampires, and you thought they were just stories until now. What is this about them turning into wolves." Bella proceeded to explain all she could remember to Victoria. "So, that is why you thought I looked familiar, and talking to your father reminded you of the stories."

Bella chuckled, something Victoria considered a very good sign. "Yeah."

"Wow," Victoria sat back in contemplation." Me moving to Piedmont might not be feasible after all." She murmured, testing the waters. Bella's response would be a great indicator of whether they were good or she needed to work a little harder to convince Bella she meant her no harm whatsoever.

"Why not, it's over an hour from La Push, and the Wolves territory if I remember correctly, is their land and Forks. Don't change your plans before anything has happened. Hell, you might never run into them." Bella argued, and victoria hid her smile.

"I might if I intend to come and visit you," Victoria argued, playing devil's advocate.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it," Bella said with a shrug.

"Just a few minutes ago, you were ready to bolt when you found out I was a vampire. Now, you sound as though you are prepared to go to war for me." She teased, earning a blush from Bella.

"Hey, give a girl a break, it's not every day you learn a story isn't just a story." Bella retorted.

"I have been around long enough to know that no story is ever just a story. The good ones all have some basis in fact."

"How old are you… if you mind me asking."

"Just over a thousand years old," Victoria answered, and Bella's jaw dropped.

"Well, fuck me." She muttered.

"Be more than happy to. In fact, it was what I had in mind when you figured things out." Victoria purred crawling towards Bella.

"But… I've got questions." She argued.

"And I will answer all of them after I have my way with you." The red-haired swiftly captured Bella's lips before she could protest further.

* * *

School seemed to all of a sudden be so far down on her list of important things. Her every thought had been consumed by Victoria. She recognized three vampires, they sat together and didn't bother with anyone else. She wondered why they bothered with the charade of humanity when they made no real effort to fit in. The joy of being out of school was magnified when Victoria called her. "So, how is the town of Forks." She shrugged then realized the vampire could not see her.

"It's Forks, it's a small town with three vegetarian vampires pretending to be human teenagers attending high school." The vampire chuckled.

"My room is very dull without you to brighten it up."

"You need work on your sweet talk," Bella quipped.

"Your sudden elevated heartbeat says otherwise," Victoria sounded incredibly smug.

"That's cheating," Bella grumbled.

"All's fair in love and war." Victoria retorted.

"I don't know if that is entirely true," Bella replied.

"I will agree with you," Victoria said with a rather human sigh. "I miss you, Isabella, and I intend to call on you this Friday if you are agreeable." Bella's smile lit up her face.

"I am." She was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Excellent, I call you later, before you go bed. Right now, I have a complimentary meal coming up that I will promptly flush down the toilet." Bella laughed as the call ended. With that expensive drink Victoria kept ordering, Bella wasn't surprised they threw in a complimentary meal.

She loved the fact that Charlie had taken a real liking to Victoria. He even went as far as to comment on her similarity to the Cullens after Victoria left. Bella said nothing; after all, she hadn't met the Cullen's yet to agree or disagree.

A knock on the door had her damn near jumping out of her skin. Why did they have to knock so loud? She yanked the door open to give whoever it was a piece of her mind when she froze.

"Jake… wow." Bella said at the size of him. Charlie had let it slip about Jake's sudden increase in size.

"Hey, Bells, long time no see." He said, pulling her into a hug.

"I see you wolved out." Jacob took a sudden step back in shock.

"Ehh… what?" He looked around as though waiting for someone or something to come make sense of what Bella just said.

"Considering I now know vampires exist, I think it's safe to say the wolf side of the story is also true." Jake just shook his head in disbelief.

"You took one look at the Cullen's and figured it out. It makes me feel kind of stupid. Nearly three years and I didn't until I phased."

"Actually, I met a vampire before meeting the Cullens." Jake's jaw dropped. If Bella dropped one more bombshell, he was likely to explode and not into a wolf.

"You what?"

"Yeah, the weekend in Seattle, I spent most of it with a red eyed vampire."

"How the hell are you still alive?" He sat down, more just collapsed on Charlie's armchair, which audibly groaned under Jacob's weight.

"Her preference when it comes to food are pedophiles, rapist abusers, child molesters, drug dealers… you know, the scum of the earth. She has descendants from her siblings that she still keeps an eye on and even help without their knowing. This is a vampire that actually has respect for decent human beings." Bella said with a shrug.

"Wow." He stared at her. "Between the Cullens and their vegetarian diet and a vampire that spent the weekend with you and left you intact, I'm beginning to question the elder's views on vampires," Jacob mumbled.

"Don't. Victoria was very clear in her warning of vampires. They are vicious creatures with little to no respect for human beings. She is old enough to have met plenty. She said her own brother detested humans. Most of them are very cruel, Jake, just not all." He nodded. "Heads up, Victoria will be visiting me. I like her, Jake I really do and… well, if you see a flaming red-haired vampire around, know it's her."

"Bells, a red eye can't come to Forks." He warned.

"She will, and she has made it clear she has no reason to cross into your lands and will not hunt here. I think we can both say it's what matters… right?"

"I will have to speak to my dad and Sam." He murmured.

"Speak to whoever, she is visiting me on Friday, picking me up after school. We are going away after she speaks to the Cullens," Jacob nodded, what else could he say.

* * *

Bella could not help the smile that broke on her face when she spotted Victoria leaning against a car. It looked new and very sporty, her knowledge of cars was nonexistent. She simply appreciated the beautiful woman leaning against the car. She was so far gone it wasn't even funny anymore. Two of the Cullens were leaning against a yellow Porsche watching Victoria. The way Edward behaved in class, she wasn't the least bit surprised he wasn't there.

Bella practically ran to get to Victoria, the vampire opened her arms for her. "How is my human?" She teased.

"Your human is great now that you are here, and how is my vampire." Victoria smiled, having heard the gasps from the two vampires across the car park.

"Your vampire is great now that she has you in her arms." She planted a quick kiss on Bella in full view of the gawking students. "I have that meeting to attend, and then I will come and get you," Victoria said as Bella got into her car. Knowing Victoria was coming to pick her up, she had Charlie drive her, so she could leave the truck at home.

"Cool, I should be packed and ready to go by the time you get back," Bella said, unable to wipe the smile off her face. A smile that had Victoria elated beyond words.

"I heard the rumors about the Cullen kids going to school over and over again, but I don't think I truly believed it until I saw them. I would have thought there'd be more of them." Victoria murmured.

"Yeah, Edward was around until biology… he acted as though I stunk to high heaven and disappeared after class." Victoria's stared at Bella, losing control of the car and driving into the oncoming lane, luckily it was empty.

"Sorry, I'm just… fuck." She sighed. "No, you don't stink, I suspect you are his singer." Bella looked perplexed. "Your blood literally calls to him. Your scent is the best thing he has ever smelled. The fact that he was able to walk away from you is…" Bella finally understood.

"So what do we do, I mean, I'm at school with him," Bella muttered.

"Well, someone is going to have to give up school, and considering he has done high school for longer than you've been alive, he should understand." If everything she's heard about the Cullens is true, then Carlisle would not argue. She pulled into Charlie's driveway and got out, her concern was evident. "I should be back soon."

"Do you know where they live?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, and you don't want to know how." Her smirk was enough for Bella to agree.

"Right." Bella shook her head and quickly headed in as Victoria disappeared through the woods opposite the house.

Victoria took her time making her way to the Cullens, she wanted to leave her scent on the path from their house to Bella's. It was a warning; the human was hers and protected. Any vampire that went after her could not then claim ignorance. After the Cullens, she would run the perimeter around the Swan property. In fact, it was something she intended to do often until her scent was damn right cloying.

Even as a human, she had the ability to evade and hide, her senses were rather acute, and as a vampire, she could hear, see further than any other vampire she knew. When she heard the Cullens talking, she stopped and listened, knowing they couldn't hear her just yet.

"So, she is coming here?" A female voice asked.

"Yes, she made the decision before she got to Forks, but I saw it when she was talking to Bella." That was clearly the female vampire she saw at the school. She was clearly a seer. Victoria noted the mentioning of her making a decision and wondered it played a part in what the seer saw. As it stood, she was going to work with that hypothesis.

"And this Bella knows she's a vampire?" That was Carlisle, that much she knew.

"Yes, Bella was incredibly happy to see her, and so was the vampire. I got… Carlisle, I believe she is mated to Bella. Her emotions are the very ones we all feel when we think about our mates. I don't know if Bella knows yet, but I doubt she will have an issue with it when she finds out. Her emotions when she saw the vampire was not something to be trifled with."

"Okay, Edward, listen carefully and do not give yourself away. Jasper, Alice, you two as well." Carlisle said.

"I know what to do," Edward was clearly not happy being told what to do.

Victoria smiled serenely to herself before continuing the trip to the Cullen's. The conversation stopped when they heard her approach, but it was a little too late. Edward was a telepath, The small vampire was a seer, and her mate was an empath. What a gifted coven, if Aro knew this, it would not bode well for the Cullens at all.

They were lined up as one would expect when a coven was facing a vampire they didn't know, except at the sight of her, Carlisle smiled. "Victoria, I thought it might be you, but I wasn't sure."

"Carlisle, it has been too long. Elizabeth sends her greetings." The rest of his family was surprised when the two hugged.

"This is my family, my wife Esme, my sons, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett, and my daughters, Rosalie and Alice."

Hello." Victoria greeted.

"Come in." Carlisle and Esme sat, but the rest stood behind them. Victoria sat opposite them and tried her damndest not to smirk. She made them very uncomfortable, despite her rather cordial greeting with Carlisle.

"I was up until a few minutes ago, just coming to make my presence known." Carlisle nodded. "Isabella told me of the incident in her biology class."

"Yes, Edward informed us," Carlisle added solemnly. I should inform you, Isabella is my mate, and as such, I do have a right to ask you to stay away from her. I understand how… fortunate, we all were that you were able to walk away from her, but I would rather not test fate." Victoria said, finally looking at Edward, who glared back at her.

"Her blood would not be an issue." He retorted angrily.

"That is beside the point; if you aren't familiar with the law, then let me enlighten you. As her mate, I have the right to tell you to stay away from her. Failure to do so will mean death." Edward turned to look at Carlisle, who, after a few seconds, looked up at his son.

"It is true, a mate's edict is absolute," Carlisle told him. "He will stay away from…" Carlisle did not finish his sentence.

"What about the fact that she told a human about us. Isn't that against the law?" The boy's anger at being told to stay away from his singer was perplexing, considering the Cullens vegetarian lifestyle. One would think this was something she didn't even have to say to him.

"I have not broken the law. I did not tell her about us, she already knew. She figured it out from the legends of the local tribe. As for the Volturi, they are already informed of my mating to Isabella. I believe when it comes to mates, the law makes allowances for that." Victoria returned with a glare of her own.

"As I said, he will stay away from your mate," Carlisle said with his own glare aimed at the boy.

"Thank you, Carlisle, I will be on my way." Victoria was gone a split second later.

"I don't believe the girl knew from the local tribe, she just moved here. Told the Volturi my ass." Edward grumbled.

"If I'm not mistaking, this is chief Swan's daughter, so it is likely she grew up here and has heard the stories considering the chief's friendship with the tribe. As for telling the Volturi, considering she is a Volturi, I'd say they know." Edward's jaw dropped.

"What!" Alice exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes, that was Victoria Volturi, daughter of Elizabeth and younger sister to Caius. I knew her from my time with the Volturi, she visited quite often with her mother. Her mother is the oldest vampire I know, even older than Amun and Kebi. She changed Caius, and the Volturi castle is hers, She built the town of Volterra. The Volturi's rise to power was largely in part to Elizabeth's finances and influence; without her, Aro's plans would never have come to fruition. They are a powerful coven in their own right. Victoria is over a thousand years old and extremely powerful. This entire coven together would struggle to best her. She has the gift to evade and hide in plain sight, and I suspect even more that only her family knows." Carlise finished to shocked faces.

"That is who you want to pick a fight with." Rosalie sneered at Edward. "Why are you arguing about staying away from your singer… or do you want to drain her, is that it?" It was a fair question, and Edward could see the others waiting for an answer.

"I can't hear her." He admitted. "It's not that she's silent, I cannot sense her brain at all." He emphasized before anyone could ask.

"Interesting." Carlisle murmured.

"I just wanted to know her." He said with a shrug. "Don't worry, I'm staying away. I am not about to defy the princess of the Volturi." He sneered before disappearing out the back door.

"He is lying," Jasper said the minute he could no longer feel Edwards emotions. "His emotions towards her are too strong, and I felt his anger when I surmised the girl was mated to Victoria. That anger only got stronger when she confirmed it. He wants the human, I believe he thought she was his mate, and I'm afraid he still does. He feels the pull, but it's that of a singer, not a mate." Jasper's words sent a dread of fear through Carlisle and Esme.

"I will send him to Denali. Victoria would kill him without so much as a consideration for our friendship." Carlisle murmured.

"Yes, I would." Victoria groused, walking back to Bella's. She was right in thinking Edward's anger just did not make sense, and now she knew. It was time Victoria had a candid conversation with her mate. She was not going to take the chance of anybody telling Bella her story before she did. She ran the perimeter of the Swan property a couple of times before heading towards the house.


	14. Chapter 14

**One God Thing Chapter 3**

**Summary: Bella is having the worst week possible, but things are about to look up.**

**Bella/Victoria**

Being a vampire had many advantages, but the one Victoria was grateful for at that moment was her inability to feel pain, despite her arm contorted in a weird position. Bella was currently wrapped around her riding her fingers furiously. Her mate was moaning loudly, her words incoherent as her breathing came out rapidly in short gasps. "You are so close, I can feel it." She whispered, sucking on Bella's earlobes.

"Yes." Bella groaned. "Oh, god… yes… Vick, don't stop, please don't stop." Her hips moved back and forth as her next orgasm crept up on her.

"Don't intend to." Victoria chuckled just as Bella threw her head back and came loudly.

"Oh, fuck… Vick." She muttered breathlessly.

"Mmm-hmm." She answered, her fingers still buried in Bella.

"I have missed you." Her words sent a pleasant feeling through Victoria.

"I have missed you too." She laid Bella down and snuggled next to her. They lay there in comfortable silence for a while.

Victoria chuckled. "I didn't even get to show you the house." The minute she got Bella to the bedroom, nothing else seemed to matter.

"And it is entirely your fault." Bella quipped.

"I happily accept the blame." Victoria laughed. The two laid there silently for a good while basking in the glow of being together.

"I have only known you a week, and yet I feel as though it is so much longer." Bella murmured.

"Do you believe in the idea of soul mates?" She rolled onto her stomach and faced Bella. "Vampires do. You feel a pulling sensation in your chest, where our non-beating heart lies. When you meet your mate, you feel as though your heart isn't dead after all. In my thousand years, I have heard several mated couples talk about it, that first moment they laid eyes on their mates. I never knew it felt so good, never knew I would feel so elated until I saw you." Jasper had been right, Bella had looked somewhat defeated as she talked, but at the end, when the human realized Victoria meant her, a radiant smile took over her features.

"The elevator." Bella surmised.

"No, Phoenix. I was sending a message to my brother when I felt it, I looked up, and there you were. I abandoned the message and called my mother. Who confirmed what I already felt. I threw my ticket to London away and followed you. You were upgraded, and I got your seat." Bella's jaw dropped.

"Wait a second, but this house."

"After your conversation with your father, I knew you were moving to Forks, so I tasked my mother with finding me a home. I checked into the hotel two floors above yours, I wanted the one directly above or below you, but it was not available. I heard you leave the room, and I left mine. You know the rest." She waited patiently for Bella's reaction. The girl in question could not seem to find the words to express what she felt. It would not have been such a problem if she knew what she could decipher what she felt.

"So, you were going to tell me about being a vampire eventually." As it stood, it was all she could think to ask.

"Oh, yes… my hesitation was not because I feared how you would react, but our laws. Telling a human either condemns them to our existence or death."

"And you didn't want to turn me?" Victoria held back her triumphant smile at the hurt look her mate wore.

"Oh, Isabella… I have every intention of turning you, but I was waiting until you could not live without me. It is somewhat manipulative…"

"No, I get it, the human is highly unlikely to say no when they have grown so attached to the vampire, life without the vampire is unbearable." She did get it.

"Yes, but then you surprised me, and well, I had to call my brother and inform him you knew. It has bought as time. You will stay human until you are ready to join me as a vampire, no one will rush you."

"Your brother? Why do you need to tell him?"

"My brother is one of three kings that rule the vampire world." That jaw dropped further.

"Right… right… you are going to have to explain that a little more." She whispered.

"Elizabeth is the vampire that turned me, two thousand years earlier she had turned Caius, that's my brother's name. Elizabeth felt a maternal pull towards us and turned us, she actually gave as a choice which is rare in our world. For all intents and purposes, Elizabeth is my mother, and I give her that title. Caius is my brother and also deserving of that title even if he loathes it. Vampires don't have families, they have covens. Despite my age, I am more in touch with my human self than most. It helps that I keep an eye on my human family still."

"Wow." Bella was in danger of unhinging her jaw by the time Victoria was done.

"At some point during this weekend, you will have to talk to them both. Caius, I should warn you, has the manners of a horned lizard. Elizabeth would simply gush over you and would have roped you into visiting her before the conversation is over." Victoria pulled Bella closer to her body. "Either that or come next weekend, and you will find her here ready to ambush you." Bella's eyes widened comically much to Victoria's amusement.

"No, I can talk to them." Even if Elizabeth was human, she'd still prefer a phone call than to meet the in-laws so soon. "What about the two other kings?"

"Aro will not do anything to anger Elizabeth, and Marcus couldn't care less. He lost his mate a long time ago and has never been the same again. He just closed himself off to everything."

"Tell me more about mates… what it means."

"Some vampires live to find their mates, and it does not appeal to others in the least. We are around a long time, and it's easy for the boredom to drive a vampire insane. I never went out of my way to look for my mate, can you imagine if I had been looking for you for the last millennia." Bella shuddered at the idea, she was eighteen years old. She couldn't imagine what that would do to a vampire after searching for so long. "I was of the notion that it would happen when it was meant to… and it did. Your mate is your other half in every sense of the word. You can feel them to a certain extent and know when they are in mortal danger. Distance is a problem in the first few decades, you cannot be without each other for long periods. Over time you learn to deal with it. I have seen what happens to vampires when they lose their mates. They either kill themselves, insane, or shut themselves off to everything."

"Which is what Marcus has done," Bella whispered.

"Yes, Aro is what is keeping him for ending his existence, he would kill himself the first chance he gets."

"How?"

"Chelsea is a vampire with a gift of creating bonds. That is how Aro keeps some of the guards loyal. Their loyalty is created by Chelsea, and Marcus is no different."

"That is not right. Can't your mother step in?" Bella muttered angrily.

"No, it's not, and no mother will not interfere unless it involves Caius and I. If it were not for her, I would be a guard. Aro does not know how to take no for an answer. The only reason he has not come after me is because of Caius and mother."

"What is your gift, if you don't mind me asking?" Bella asked.

"There is no question off limits to you, Isabella." Victoria ran her finger over Bella's cheek and kissed her softly. "Even as a human, I could escape, surrounded, and hide in plain sight. The day my father sold me, my gifts saved me. I hid while he looked for me to hand over to Alwin."

"Your father sold you?" Bella asked in disbelief.

"It was a common occurrence in those days. The wealthy bought children of the poor more often than not. They were sold into slavery, the man who bought me bought me as a sex slave. My father knew, but he could not afford to turn down the amount of money he offered. Elizabeth found me hiding and spirited me away to her home. She paid my father ten times what Alwin offered him and exacted a promise from my father. He was never to sell any of my siblings. Elizabeth, in essence, bought all my siblings."

"She did it for you," Bella smiled as Victoria nodded. The more she learned about Elizabeth, she couldn't help but respect, admire, and love the vampire.

"We digress… as a vampire, my gift reached its full potential. I could be in this very house, and you will never find me. My senses are also very enhanced more than any vampire I know. I believe it's a by-product of my main gift. I would have made a great spy for the Volturi, and Aro wanted me, but Elizabeth shut him down the minute he brought it up." She chuckled, lying on her back. Bella, not liking the sudden distance between them, found herself practically on top of Victoria. The vampire smiled at the move.

"Is this a mate thing?" Bella asked.

"It's like I said distance no matter how minuscule is a problem," Victoria reiterated.

"How do you expect me to function from Monday to Friday?" There was a teasing lilt in Bella's voice, but at the same time, she was serious.

"We will talk every day, and if you wish, I could sneak into your room every night." Bella smiled.

"Sneak away. It's not as though I have to worry about Charlie finding you in my room."

"No, you don't." She moaned as Bella's hand started to caress every inch of skin she could reach. She let the human do as she pleased, and Victoria enjoyed every minute of it.

* * *

Bella had been entirely surprised by Victoria's kitchen. The vampire had gone overboard in filling her cupboards and fridge. Most of the food Bella would have to take with her or else it would be inedible by the following weekend. She made herself mac and cheese and steak, with the ridiculously expensive brands Victoria bought. Bella was sure she went all the way to Seattle for the food. She sat on the deck, surrounded by water as she ate. She could see a few houses across the river, but it appeared they were not occupied. It was not all that cold, and the sweater Victoria gave her kept her very warm, that and the heaters on the deck. She could hear Victoria on the phone as she ate, she couldn't help but smile every time she heard Victoria laugh. She still wasn't entirely sure about the mated stuff, but she knew she liked the vampire a lot.

"Sorry about that, I had to stop my mother from showing up in the morning." Victoria sat next to her and draped a hand over the back of Bella's chair.

"And did you succeed?" She asked after swallowing a piece of steak.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Victoria did not seem all that bothered. Bella really hoped she was teasing.

"Edward Cullen seems to have some interest in you." Victoria blurted out, which was unlike her. "I have warned him to stay away from you, Carlisle promised to enforce it…" Victoria finally looked at her. "The boy was disrespectful to his maker and coven leader in front of me, something that is not done. If he could do that, I do not believe Carlisle truly has the power to keep his promise." She would never dare talk to Elizabeth or glare at her the way the boy did. She respected and loved her mother too much to do that more or less in front of another vampire.

"Is it because I'm his singer?" Bella did not want Edward anywhere near her, especially as her blood sang to him.

"That and the fact that the boy cannot hear your thoughts." Bella stared in disbelief. "I know, I have only come across one other telepath in my thousand years, and he has to touch you to see your life. I believe you are a shield, and a very powerful one if it's already this strong. Most gifted vampires show signs of their ability before they are turned, and it appears you are one."

"You mean like you could evade and hide as a human," Bella said.

"Precisely." Victoria turned her body to fully face Bella. "The small one, Alice, can see the future based on decisions. I know it will be difficult to do, but guard your decisions because whatever Alice sees, so does Edward."

"Wait, can she still see my future if I am a shield."

"It's a good question. I do not know, but caution never hurt anybody." Victoria advised.

"Jasper Whitlock is an empath, I do not know the extent of his gift… but the rumor is he can manipulate the emotion of others."

"I thought his name was Hale," Bella muttered. "No, it's the name he might use now, but he was Jasper Whitlock. He has quite the reputation as a fighter, most think he's dead. I did not expect to find him in the Cullen coven. I doubt we have to worry about him and Alice, but..."

"Monitor my emotions and decisions." Bella finished with a smile.

"I will be around as much as I can, but I fear I may end up killing Edward Cullen." Bella prayed Edward stayed away.

"Anything from the wolves?" She asked as Bella settled into her side.

"No, I haven't heard from Jake since Monday night." Bella murmured.

"Come on, let's get inside." Victoria switched off the heaters, and they headed inside. She shut the doors and pulled the shutters down. A few minutes later, they were settled in the living room watching Victoria's massive TV.

"Charlie would love to watch a game on something like this," Bella muttered.

"We should invite him here one weekend, he should at least see where you spend your weekends." Victoria offered.

"Yeah, that sounds good." She smiled. "So, what do you like watching?" Bella asked.

"I love movies, I have quite the enviable DVD collection if I do say so myself. I will have to have a few shipped over. As for Tv, I'm more of a fan of procedural dramas. The ones with law enforcement, not the ones with the police idiot who has a priest, writer, or doctor solving the cases." Bella cracked up laughing. "In that regard, you and Charlie are in agreement."

* * *

Bella was beginning to hate Sunday nights and even more Monday mornings. Victoria was usually gone by the time she woke up. Not that morning though, they had a plan in place and one they both hoped would work.

She was not all surprised when Edward was nowhere to be seen, nor did Jasper and Alice's approach surprise her. "Hi, Bella, Victoria." Alice greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Alice, Jasper." She got out of her truck locking it. She didn't see the point, but the last thing she wanted to do was invalidate any insurance claim. "Erm… is it Hale or Whitlock? Victoria says it's Whitlock, but everyone here refers to you as Jasper Hale." Jasper was not the least bit surprised Victoria knew of him.

"It's Hale, but I am a Whitlock." He answered appearing nonplussed.

"You were right," Bella said, turning to Victoria.

"I will not have to change my name to Volturi when I turn, do I? Bella asked with a pout.

"In Elizabeth's time, there were no family names. I don't use Volturi, it is a name others have given me because of Caius. So no, you will not have to use Volturi." She chuckled at the look of relief on Bella's face.

"And you are an empath..." Bella sincerely hoped this plan of Victoria's would keep Edward away. "and you can see the future." That surprised the vampires.

"How do you know that?" Alice had watched for Victoria's decisions all weekend and had seen nothing. This though, was not nothing. Something had happened, and it had gotten past her.

"Victoria told me. Apparently, my blood sings to Edward, and he can read minds but not mine. This is some really fascinating stuff. She said it's a good thing no one knows about you guys or else Aro would have found a way to take you already." The bell sounded then. "See you guys around." She gave Victoria a kiss and reluctantly walked towards the school building. "I hate school." She mumbled earning a laugh from her mate as she ran home. Victoria had been surprised when Bella said she wanted to do the talking. It was her way of agreeing with Victoria's plans if Carlisle failed to keep Edward away. Also, letting the Cullens know that Bella stood by her mate whatever the decision. As if Bella was about to play Russian roulette with Edward Cullen.

Neither Alice or Jasper followed her in. The two got back to their car and drove home, calling Carlisle on the way. The school had received a call from Carlisle with their excuse by the time they got home. "What happened?" Carlisle asked.

"Victoria knows all about us." She reiterated the conversation they had with Bella to the rest of the family.

"It's a warning," Jasper said, staring at Edward knowing he had to have done something for Victoria to turn up at the school that morning.

"Yes, a warning that if he went near her mate, she would be the least of our worries." Rosalie glared at Edward with such contempt. "We should leave." She added.

Carlisle turned to look at Edward. "I cannot trust you to stay away from Isabella Swan, this is no longer just about you, I am not willing to risk everyone. I know you are desperate to find a mate, but it's not her." Carlisle looked around. "I will build on the family emergency excuse I used earlier and tell them we have to leave Forks. Our time here is done, time to pack up."

"Is my word not good enough?" Edward asked.

"Not with what I can feel from you, no," Jasper answered. "My wife and I are not going to become guards in the Volturi because you can't comprehend the fact that Isabella Swan is not your mate. Victoria knows so much about us, and we have no idea how or what else she could know."

"Edward, we are leaving. It is the safest option for all involved." Carlisle made his way up the stairs. "Edward, if you come back here to go after her, you can consider yourself no longer a member of this family," Carlisle warned as Edward stared at him in shock.

* * *

Bella was somewhat shocked at the sight of the convoy in front of her house. The moment her truck was parked, a vampire stepped out of the leading car. "Hello, I'm Carlisle Cullen."

Hi, erm… what can I do for you?"

"I was hoping you would get in touch with Victoria for me." He'd barely finished his sentence when the red-haired appeared.

"No need." She said, appearing beside Bella in an instant. Victoria could see Edward in the car, flanked by Jasper and Emmett.

"We have decided it is best to leave Forks. I have made it clear to Edward that should he come back and attempt anything, he would be considered no longer a member of this family. If he comes near your mate, know that he does that without our knowledge and on his own."

"Did you know he was on this property over the weekend." By the look on Carlisle's face, he did not know. Yes, Edward had come onto the property but did not venture far, he stopped when he smelled Victoria's scent, but her keen sense still picked up his scent.

"He left me no choice." Victoria glared at Edward, who avoided eye contact.

"I understand." Carlisle did, Victoria clearly didn't think he could keep Edward away and had, therefore, threatened his entire family, forcing him into action. Considering, Edward had defied him mere hours after he was warned, it was fair to say her assessment was correct.

With everything settled, the Cullens left Forks. "Let's pray he isn't that stupid." Bella murmured.

"He is surrounded by three mated couples, he is desperate, and desperation often breeds desperate measures." Victoria wasn't about to rest on her laurels because the Cullen's were gone.


	15. Chapter 15

**One God Thing Final Chapter **

**Summary: Bella is having the worst week possible, but things are about to look up.**

**Bella/Victoria**

Life for Bella had settled into a routine in the last six months. Charlie was more than happy for her to spend her weekends away as he did the same. In the short time, she'd been in Forks, she had more of a relationship with him than she did with Renee, and that did not bode well for her. In a few months, Bella was off to college and then becoming a vampire. She planned on slowly distancing herself from him, which would be easier on both of them. At least, that is what she told herself. She was making the best of things because walking away from Victoria was not an option.

Things with the wolves had finally been agreed upon. Victoria had apparently marked Bella's home as her territory, which the wolves took issue with until they discovered Bella was her mate. Jake had brought Billy over to watch the game with Charlie when he found Victoria's scent all over the property. Bella explained that Victoria wasn't just a friend, but her mate. They had accepted that Charlie's was off-limits to them, but understood Jake bringing his father over. He also could not enter Bella's bedroom. Bella had found that stipulation amusing, especially when Victoria made that stipulation purely out of jealousy. As if she had anything to be jealous about. They were not happy about a human drinking vampire in Forks, but Victoria had agreed not to hunt in Forks. It was the best deal they were going to get. Jake had admitted that Carlisle had warned them to accept it, as a fight with Victoria wasn't one they'd want to start. If a single vampire had run an entire coven out of town, she was one to be cautious of.

* * *

They had attended the Clallam county fair and were taking a stroll through town. "Erm… were are we going?" Bella asked as she believed the plan was a walk by the pier. Not a dark and near-deserted part of Port Angeles.

"We are being followed by a vampire no less." Bella's heart rate picked up, and she started to panic. Knowing the vampire was out of hearing range, she stopped and took Bella in her arms. "Isabella, panicking is going to get us nowhere. First, he is no match for me, and second, he is an arrogant tracker who believes I am playing a game with him. I will have him in pieces before you could count to ten." Bella nodded and took a deep breath. Victoria smiled at the action. "We can do one of two things. We can walk back to the car and drive home." She offered.

"Yeah, but the vampire will only follow us," Bella muttered with a resigned sigh.

"Yes, or I can lead us away from human eyes and end things right now."

"Isn't he going to suspect a trap, considering we are walking down a deserted alleyway," Bella asked.

"Far from it. Remember what I said, he thinks I'm playing his game. I have run into him a few times during my hunts." She held onto Bella and leaped onto the roof. Victoria jumped onto another and another until Bella found herself looking over the Port Angeles skyline.

"Wow." Bella murmured, the fact a vampire was following them momentarily forgotten. Victoria had unwittingly attracted the vampire's attention a couple of months ago while she hunted. He was a tracker, and she knew how to evade and hide. She had riled him up without meaning to do so. She simply was not interested in his games, but he had read the opposite. He more than likely thought that Bella was now part of the fun and games. If she were alone, she would have easily lost him, but with him now aware of Bella, she had to end him. She hadn't seen him in some time and hoped he had moved on, but it seemed something else had occupied him briefly, and now he was back.

"What a lovely night." A voice crooned from the corner, making Bella jump. "I'm James." He added as if Victoria gave a fuck.

"Fuck, you scared the shit out of me." Bella glared at the vampire. She was surprised by the sight of him. The few vampires she had seen so far were unearthly beautiful, this vampire wasn't even average in the looks department. He had on jeans, an ill-fitting jacket, and went barefoot.

"You smell delightful." He took a deep exaggerated breath. Without Victoria, Bella would have been scared out of her wits. With her mate cocooning her close to her chest, she simply rolled her eyes at his comment.

"It's called bathing, you should try it." Victoria had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.

"Your human is amusing." He turned his attention to Victoria.

"What do you want?" She asked, finally giving him her full attention. He'd never gotten a real glimpse of her, and he liked what he saw. They'd be great together.

"I was hoping you would share." He said with a smile she knew he thought was charming.

"And you would be so inclined were you in my position." Like hell, he would share such a sweet-tasting human.

"No," James answered.

Victoria smiled. "I like your honesty, but this human is not for sharing." James, despite Victoria's words, made a move towards Bella. A split second later, James was face down on the floor with both of his arms in Victoria's as she slowly pulled them off. She threw the arms on the other side of the roof and hauled James into a sitting position. "That delightful smelling human is my mate." Even Bella could decipher the look on James's face. Yep, he was fucked. "Your arrogance is your undoing. You truly believed I was playing your game, didn't you." She laughed; she truly was amused.

"Had you told me who she was to you, I would have walked away." Bella scoffed at the blatant lie.

"I highly doubt that." Before he could say anymore, Victoria twisted his head clean off.

"Oh, that is gruesome," Bella whispered, as her stomach threatened to regurgitate her earlier meal.

"Sorry, I should have asked you to close your eyes." She took his various body parts and leaped down, dumping him in a dumpster and setting it on fire. She came for Bella who's stomach seemed to have calmed down.

The drive back to the house was done in silence. Victoria lamented her carelessness for choosing to take Bella to Port Angeles, knowing the tracker would likely be there. She had put Bella in unnecessary danger, but her mate had handled it well. Victoria pulled into the driveway, but Bella appeared miles away and hadn't noticed they were home. "Bells," She called out softly.

"Mmm… oh, we are home." Victoria watched as she stumbled out of the car, and followed with a sigh. To her utter surprise, Bella jumped on her and kissed her hard. Her tongue invading Victoria's mouth, seeming to forget the sharp teeth the vampire possessed. "You were so hot tonight. The ease in which you killed him was something else. One second he was coming towards me; next, he is face down, and his arms are gone." Bella's words came out breathlessly. Her human was very aroused and had been for some time. Victoria had been so busy berating herself for her carelessness, she had failed to notice. It seemed Bella had been trying very had to control herself in the car. "I want you." Bella moaned as her lips trailed over Victoria's earlobes down to her neck.

A clearing of throats had both of them freezing. Victoria made no move to protect Bella as she knew who the vampires were. "Hello, mother, Caius." She gently put Bella back on her feet.

"What is this I hear about you killing a vampire?" Caius asked as he showed himself from his hiding spot in the trees.

"Trying to play hide and seek with me, brother." Victoria teased.

"Answer my question." Despite his tone, Bella could see his concern.

"He was a mere child, a tracker who thought I would play his game. I thought him long gone, but tonight he showed up while I was out with Bella. He truly thought I had brought a human to play with. I lured him away from the humans and killed him with little effort." Victoria answered with an air of nonchalance.

"Yes, with so little effort, Isabella here is ready to worship every inch of you." Elizabeth teased, earning a blush from Bella. "Hello, dear, it's lovely to finally meet you." She added.

"Likewise," Bella whispered.

"Let's take this inside before Bella freezes to death. I have kept her out in the cold long enough." Victoria muttered as she unlocked the front door. March in Washington was not outdoor weather.

"So, you couldn't wait for me to introduce Bella in my own time," Victoria said with a shake of her head.

"We gave you six months," Caius said, his eyes still glued to Bella.

"And after speaking to Bella a few times, I was desperate to meet her and Victoria, you weren't very accomodating. You were in London for the new year and didn't even pop over to say hello."

"Bella and I, unfortunately, had a full itinerary, I'm afraid popping over to Athens just did not fit into those plans." Victoria pulled Bella onto her lap as she sat down.

"Even if it did, I doubt she would have bothered." Caius countered. Bella just watched the back and fort with a wry smile. Elizabeth was very motherly even if she looked no older than her children, and Caius was definitely the surly brother.

"So, Isabella…"

"It's just Bella," Bella interjected.

"Really, Victoria almost always refers to you as Isabella."

"She is allowed." She responded, earning a laugh from Elizabeth. Even Caius couldn't help his smile.

"I stand corrected." He said with a small bow. "Most humans would not be feeling amorous after meeting a hostile vampire."

"Bella showed little fear. Her response to his comment about her mouthwatering smell was for him to try bathing as it might help him smell better." All three vampires chuckled.

"Victoria assured me he was no match for her, so I had nothing to fear," Bella said with a shrug.

"Indeed, few vampires are a match for Victoria." Caius praised.

"There was a time I could say the same about you, but sitting on that thrown and those two little freaks have made you rather soft." Victoria retorted teasingly.

"We could always find a clearing, and I will show just how soft I am." Caius challenged.

"Children," Elizabeth warned, shutting them up. "Not making an excellent impression on Bella here."

"You mean the girl we found ready to maul your daughter." Bella hid her face in Victoria's hair while Victoria glared at her brother.

"I will break your nose in a minute." Victoria threatened.

"And to think I hauled boxes of DVD's here for you." He crossed his arms over his chest with an air of haughtiness.

"Bella, come give me a tour of your home," Elizabeth said with an eye roll.

The two watched as Elizabeth and Bella disappeared down the hall. "How does it feel to have a mate." Caius had long ago found his mate in Athenodora.

"I can't help the smile that dominates my features more often than not. I also worry greatly for her, she is so fragile and accident-prone. The mere sound of her voice delights me greatly. Above all else, she loves me as much as I love her. For months, in her sleep, she will whisper my name and tell me she loved me. The day she finally told me, I could have sworn I heard my heartbeat." Caius smiled, knowing the feeling so well.

"Have you talked about her becoming a vampire?"

"We have, we would both like for her to be a little older. After she finishes college, I will change her. She has her heart set on St. Andrews in Scotland. The distance also allows her to pull away slowly from her parents. I know the idea hurts her, but she understands the reason why." Victoria added sadly knowing Bella would more than likely fail at pulling away from, especially her father.

"But, you will continue to keep an eye on them as you do your kin." Caius knew that well enough.

"We will." She said as Elizabeth and Bella made their way back down the corridor.

"Mother, try using your gift on Bella." Everyone stared at her.

Want to tell me why?" Elizabeth asked.

"That just ruins the surprise." Victoria looked a little too smug.

"You think it's not going to work on her." Caius surmised.

"This will be interesting." Elizabeth murmured. "Okay, then. Bella, I am going to ask you to do a few things, try your damndest to disobey me." Bella raised an eyebrow. "Perfectly innocuous," Elizabeth assured.

"Okay," Bella said, sitting.

"Stand up," Elizabeth ordered. Bella leaned back in the chair and folded her arms.

"That is not possible," Caius whispered, while Victoria looked positively smug.

She tried a few more times, and again nothing worked. "Incredible, you are a shield, and a powerful one even as a human."

"Yep," Bella responded.

"What exactly is your gift," Bella asked. Elizabeth turned her attention to her children.

"Stand." Without hesitation, they both stood. "The best way to explain it is something akin to a powerful hypnotic suggestion. I can choose to have you remember or not."

"Wow." Bella mouthed.

"Did you have your gift as a human." Despite Elizabeth's gift not working on her, she was still fascinated about it.

"Now, there's a story." Victoria chuckled.

"Yes, my father being the greedy man he was, sold me to a wealthy merchant who wanted power and thought I'd be the perfect weapon. The night my father took me to his house to demonstrate my gift, a vampire was present. Of course, none of us knew that at the time. He killed the merchant after we left, and came for my family as well."

"Fuck," Bella muttered.

"Indeed, he killed both my parents, that did not bother me as much as him killing my siblings. He did not have to kill them, they posed no threat. He did it to prove that he could. He wanted me to fear him, and as a human, I did. Unfortunately for him, he turned me into a vampire, and I quickly realized I was not just as powerful, but with my gift was now exponentially more powerful than he was. Alas, I also needed him, as I had no idea what it meant to be a vampire. Just over a year later, we ended up north, in what is now Sweden. We met a coven who loved me but hated him. Realizing I now had a coven, I killed him.

A century later, I went back to Athens, and there I slowly acquired my fortune. I made quite the name for myself despite my elusiveness. Most believed I was old because I made a point to have quite a few middlemen and women. Not one though, could identify me if I walked next to them on the street. One, I did it because I was a vampire and two, it discouraged assassination attempts. Though a few tried and died gruesome deaths. Two thousand years later, I came across Caius; he'd been robbed, severely injured, and was dying.

"She told me she could save me, but I would not be human. I didn't care, I just wanted to continue living. A year and a half later, I put myself on the very path I was robbed and nearly killed. None lived to tell the tale." He added gleefully.

"Did Victoria ever tell you about Alwin?" Caius asked, earning a scowl from his sister.

"The man who tried to buy her."

"Yes, but did she tell you what she did to him?" Caius sat forward, looking a little too happy with himself.

"I'd hazard a guess and say she killed him, and it was not… kind." Bella answered. Caius looked as though his thunder had been stolen.

"No, I was not kind. I held him captive until his heart finally gave out. It took years." She muttered rather flippantly. "I made him suffer as he had made so many little girls suffer. The fool saw me when he was in Athens and had the nerve to approach me. Alwin thought I had no idea who he was. He thought he could finally get the girl who had gotten away from him. I agreed to meet him that same night, except I followed him to his inn and rendered him unconscious. I took him back home and locked him in the basement. As I said, I was not kind."

"I'm sure many little girls would thank you if they knew," Bella responded with a yawn she could not stifle.

"Okay, say goodnight." Victoria quipped.

"Goodnight, Elizabeth, Caius, I will see you in the morning." She laughed as Victoria carried her to the bedroom. She gently set Bella back on her feet, but still held her close.

"I have kept you busy today." Her voice was low, bothering on needy.

"I'm good, and it's not that late." Bella snaked her hands under Victoria's shirt. Victoria took a couple of steps back.

"Take your shirt off." She wasn't asking, but it also wasn't necessarily an order. Bella started to unbutton her shirt.

"Slowly." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Bella slowly unbuttoned her shirt, shrugging it off her shoulders. She kicked her boots off and shimmied out of her jeans. Her bra came off, followed by her panty. She stood in front of Victoria, who was now seated on the chaise taking in every inch of her mate. "Get on the bed, bend your knees, and open them wide." Bella did just that furiously blushing all the while.

Victoria crawled onto the bed, running her nose along the inside of Bella's leg. "You smell divine, Isabella." Her nose continued the journey to the apex Bella's thighs. She buried her nose in Bella's sex, inhaling deeply. The first time she did that, Bella attempted to snap her legs shut to no avail, six months down the line, and she had accepted her mate's little quirks. Her thoughts were sharply drawn back to the present when Victoria's tongue flicked her clit over and over again. "Vick." She whimpered.

"I love how wet you get… soaking wet." Her mouth closed around Bella's clit, sucking greedily.

"I'm… Jesus, Vick… yes, right there, just a little more." And then her lips were gone. Bella's eyes snapped open, she looked wild and pissed as she glared at Victoria. "Lie face down on the bed. "She ordered ignoring the glare aimed at her. She ran her finger down Bella's spine, She flinched when Victoria's finger dipped into her butt cheeks but did not stop her. "Get on your knees." She moaned at the wetness coating Bella's lips. She ran her finger between the lips over Bella's clit continuously. Bella's thighs shook as she felt herself building again. Victoria contoured her body over Bella, kissing the back of her neck down to her spine. She brought her hand around and inserted two fingers into Bella. "Oh, God… yes, please… I need to come. Please… please." She pleaded as Victoria pumped her finger in and out of her, her palms rubbing against Bella's clit.

"Yes, Isabella, come for me, I want to hear you. Come for me." Bella's knees went from under her as she came, her body convulsing with pleasure. Victoria kept her fingers between Bella's legs rubbing her gently. Bella ground her hips onto the bed, drawing out her orgasm.

Victoria turned Bella around and stripped out of her clothes. She threw Bella's right leg over her thigh, leaned forward, and moaned when her clit rubbed against Bella's. She had to be very careful, least the broke the girl's pelvis. She leaned forward, kissing Bella, sucking on her plump bottom lip. "I can't get enough of your taste." She keened, undulating hips slowly. Bella's back arched beautifully as she felt herself quickly rising again. "No, no, no, not yet, Isabella." She teased, slowing right down much to Bella's exasperation.

"You are mean." She moaned, amusing the vampire.

"You haven't seen anything yet." She whispered before sucking on Bella's earlobes. "It's going to be a long night, darling."

* * *

Bella, despite having accepted that she would need her death to give Charlie closure, still struggled with the notion. The idea of leaving her father on his own tore at her heart, but then Charlie met Sandra. Sandra was the doctor that replaced Carlisle, much to the relief of the administration at Forks General. Harry had a near-fatal heart attack, which resulted in Charlie spending a lot of time at the hospital. He and Sandra got close and by Christmas, a mere three months after Bella left for College Charlie had proposed. By the summer, they were married expecting their first child.

Bella attended the wedding with Victoria, she was there for the birth of her baby brother, Christopher, and the birth of the twins Aubrey and Katherine, who followed two years later.

A year later, Bella died while on holiday, a cyclone had hit killing several thousand people herself included as far as everyone was concerned. He had a family, and her death had not impacted him too much. It allowed Charlie to move on and focus on his new family. It was easier than her making excuses as to why she could not attend family occasions. Her death had allowed him to move on.

Twenty-three years later, Christopher had just gotten married. She stood on the roof of the building opposite the church and watched as the family poured out. She'd never seen him happier, and in the end, that was what mattered. "Hello, Jake." She said the minute she knew he could hear her. Though he'd stopped phasing years ago, his senses were above that of the average human.

"I knew you would be around somewhere." He said as he joined her.

"Really?" She questioned, her eyes still glued to her father and family.

"Yeah, when I heard Katherine's story, I knew it had to be you." Katherine, the black sheep of the family. At least, she was until an encounter with a vampire changed all that. The vampire had the power to disorientate and had managed to separate Katherine from her friends. The foolish girl had followed him down an alley and nearly gotten herself killed. In all fairness, the vampire in question was beautiful and, at nineteen when turned, found easy targets in young girls. Lucky for her, said vampire liked to play with his food. Preferred it when his meals had adrenaline pumping through their blood. Unfortunately for him, Katherine passed out, and Victoria swooped in killing the vampire. Bella played the good samaritan who had run the bad man off. Katherine had remarked about the fact that Bella looked so much like her older sister, who died when she was a year old. Thankfully, the incident had changed Katherine for the better.

"Yes, she was more work than most." She chuckled, finally looking up at him. He still had the same physique from when she last saw him. "You look the same."

"I might not shift anymore, but the wolf genes stayed, something we are all grateful for." He laughed. "How is Victoria?"

"She is not far from here. She still likes to keep an eye on me." Bella smiled, knowing her mate could more than likely hear them.

"Well, somebody has to." He quipped.

"How are Teri and the kids?" He was not the least bit surprised she knew of his family. "I like to keep an eye on them too." She added with a shrug.

"They are well, and thank you." He was all too aware of the dangers out there and not be grateful for the extra set of eyes. "Looks like I have to get back down there." She stood straight then and pulled him into a hug.

"Just in case." She handed him a card. "It's great to see you." She smiled at him.

"You too, and Bells, don't be a stranger." With that, he was gone. She watched as the wedding party got into various cars and drove off.

"See you around, dad." She watched until the cars disappeared from view, and headed towards her mate. As a vampire, she was twenty-three years old, a baby by vampire standards, but she had a mate. A mate who had thought her a lot, so by vampire standards, she knew more than most would expect of someone her age. Of course, the vampire following her knew she was young, what he couldn't know was the fact that she knew and would soon turn the tables on him.

He lost her, he couldn't believe he lost her. Her scent had just disappeared, and the chance was gone. "Hello, Edward." He whirled around to find her leaning against the chimney breast. "I'm sure you have a good reason for following me."

"I needed to know if it was just your blood." He said quickly, taking in her bright red eyes.

"And?" She was still leaning against the chimney breast as though bored by it all.

"I knew I was right… I was right, and this just proves it. You must feel it too. My inability to read your mind, who else would be perfect for a telepath than a silent mind." Bella hadn't moved an inch as he ranted.

"The only thing I feel is for my mate, and that is not you. She warned you, but you just wouldn't listen." Bella said with a resigned sigh.

"YOU ARE MINE." He bellowed just as a hand gripped the back of his neck.

"Isabella is not a piece of property owned by anyone, least of all you." Victoria continued to squeeze as Edward dropped to his knees. She kept squeezing until his head damn near came off. With ease, she pulled the rest off and dropped him down the side of the building into a skip on a construction site. Soon the skip was on fire.

They were soon back in the comfort of their apartment. They loved Seattle, it was the place they came to when they wanted to get up to no good. Victoria had rented a penthouse apartment and the condo below, so they didn't have to worry about their neighbors. They could go at it for days when they really wanted to. "I'd love to go out tonight," Victoria said the minute they walked through the door.

"Okay, where?" Bella asked, shrugging her coat off.

"There is a club just opened. I want to check it out." Her attempt to sound innocent made Bella suspicious.

"What kind of club?" Bella asked.

"I think I'd prefer to surprise you," Victoria smirked.

"The last time you said that I ended up in a sex club watching people have sex," Bella mumbled.

"I also remember you coming on my hands so spectacularly while watching people have sex." If she could still blush, she would. She had still been human when Victoria took her to a BDSM club in London. She had balked at the idea at first but thoroughly enjoyed herself throughout the evening. She was all of a sudden hit with an idea.

"Can we go to this new club another time. There is something I really would love to do." She loved the look in Bella's eyes.

"Why not." She said with a shrug. Bella smiled and got out her phone. She had a few things to arrange. She was also going to owe Caius one hell of a favor.

* * *

"You came," Charlie whispered, trying to take the respiratory mask off. She put it back in place, she could hear him through it just fine. Even if his voice was just above a whisper.

"I heard you refused to die until I did." She smiled as she sat on the edge of the bed. Jake had sent her a message. It was the first time he'd used the card she'd left with him twenty-six years ago.

"You look the same." He smiled as she took his hands in hers.

"Vampirism as that effect on you. When did you figure it out?" She had been surprised when she got the message from Jake regarding Charlie's request to see her. He was dying, they all knew it, and she could hear his heart struggling. He had a few days if that.

"Wouldn't say I figured it out really, just little things here and there. When I realized my time was up, I took a chance in asking Jake, and I guess he couldn't lie to a dying man." Bella nodded.

"I wouldn't have done it if Sandra hadn't come along. I knew you'd be fine without me. It was better than you believing I was alive but didn't care enough to come and visit. I have kept my eye on you. I have attended every family celebration."

"And you saved Katherine from a vampire." He added. "I seriously believed I was one day going to put my own daughter behind bars until that incident." He murmured. "It was one of those things that added to my belief that you were still out there." Charlie smiled at her.

"I was close to strangling her myself." They both chuckled. They were both quiet for a long while, at some point, Charlie fell asleep. She ducked out of the window when various people came up. Later in the afternoon, it got quiet again, and she made herself comfortable by the corner.

When he woke up, the sun was going down, and she looked ethereal in the fading sunlight. "Did you see much of your mother?" He asked.

"Not much, Florida was not a place I could spend much time in. I did see her when they visited less sunny climates. I hadn't seen her for a while before she died."

"Even if you had, there wasn't much you could have done for her. Cancer was not a threat you could have saved her from." Charlie placated.

"No, it wasn't." She sighed. "I have to go, Sandra and Christopher are back. I will come by tomorrow. Love you, dad." She planted a lingering kiss on his forehead.

"Okay, love you too, Bells." She smiled at him before disappearing out the window. When she made it to the woods, she, all of a sudden, seemed to have lost all energy. She sat against a tree unmoving; even when Victoria joined her, she remained unmoving. There would be no tomorrow for Charlie, he'd held on waiting to see her, and now he had.

Just shy of seven hours after she left, Charles Swan passed away. Victoria held her as she cried.

Nine days later, Bella stood on a branch of a tree and watched as her father was lowered into the ground. They mourned for the man they all loved, but also celebrated his life. He was buried next to her. "How do you do it?" She whispered. "How do you watch knowing eventually they will leave? I don't think I can." She let out a shuddering breath.

"He was your father, you knew him well and loved him above all else. As much as you will love the rest, they will not hold the same place in your heart, and that makes it easier. You will want the best for them, but you never really become attached, makes it easier to let go. None will hurt as much as this one does." Victoria had not been around when her parents passed, but seeing their graves had hurt even after several decades.

Bella stood in her spot until the cemetery cleared. She moved closer and said her goodbyes.

"Where do you want to go?" Victoria asked. "It's been a while since we last stayed in Washington." They often visited for family occasions but never stayed more than a day or two. They no longer had an apartment in Seattle. That building had been knocked down over a decade ago.

"We still have the house in Piedmont," Bella suggested. Thanks to the vast land they owned around the house, they still had no neighbors.

Piedmont, it is." Victoria smiled.

"I don't think I have told you just how much I love you lately," Bella said as they walked through the cemetery.

"Oh, you did… you screamed it while you were coming." Victoria teased. "I love you too." She laughed when Bella glared at her.

"Need to hunt before we go home." Bella murmured. "I'm looking for someone particularly evil; God knows I want to take my sweet time with them."

"I might just join you." Victoria chuckled as the two took off running.


End file.
